A Tale Woven in Fire and Ice
by Lord Candycane
Summary: Taking place nine years after the events of the Great Thaw, Anna and Kristoff are married with a lovely daughter. Elsa loves her niece, but struggles to cope with the fear that she could harm her. As history threatens to repeat itself, a new, more powerful threat arises, one that Elsa will have no hope of defeating unless she can settle her fears once and for all.
1. Prologue: What Happens After Marriage?

_Hi, everybody! I'm new here, and I'm a big fan of Frozen, but I didn't think I'd ever write a fanfiction about it. However, I was recently inspired to try it out, and wish me luck._

* * *

 ** _A Tale Woven in Fire and Ice_**

* * *

It all started after Anna and Kristoff got married.

Elsa had been more than happy to give the two her blessing, after Kristoff had earned her trust, of course. She'd decided the wedding preparations, who to invite, the date the marriage would be set, anything to please her sister and soon to be brother-in-law.

Some would say the wedding was a tad bit rushed, considering what happened the last time a man tried to be betrothed with Anna. But the sisters knew Kristoff was different. He had a pure heart, and a warm personality.

The wedding came.

Elsa could still remember the look on Anna's face when they said her wedding vows her Kristoff. Her little sister's face. That look of pure jubilation and exuberance as she became entwined with the love of her life. She'd remember that face until the day she died.

This was all Elsa ever wanted. Her sister to love and be loved. To experience warmth that Elsa herself couldn't give alone. The day the two got married was the best day of Elsa's life, she thought to herself. Nothing would surpass it.

The day Anna and Kristoff got married, as it would turn out, wasn't the best day of their life. For one day would soon surpass that.

A day that Elsa was starstruck she didn't see coming.

* * *

It had been a few months after Anna and Kristoff's marriage to one another. Elsa was outside the castle walls, painting a picture of Sven and Olaf together for her sister and Kristoff to see.

"Don't move," Elsa said to the two as she applied the finishing touches. "This needs to be perfect, for Anna and Kristoff."

"But they're so close," Olaf said, posing in the picture. "I can see them now."

"Yes, I've never seen a man and woman so much in love," Elsa said, half-disinterested in what he was saying.

"No, seriously, I can see them now," Olaf said, fully serious.

". . .What?" Elsa said, looking up from the portrait.

"Queen Elsa!" Elsa heard a voice call from behind her, and she recognized it as Anna's. Elsa immediately covered the portrait, as it wasn't ready yet, as Anna and her husband came running to greet her.

"Anna, I told you that you can just call me Elsa," Elsa said, pausing when she saw how out of breath Anna looked. It was unusual for her sister to look tired, but she brushed the thought away.

"Is there something important you need to tell me?" Elsa asked.

"Um, yes," Anna said, leaning on Kristoff's shoulder for support. Elsa noticed that was also unusual.

Kristoff and Anna both had a nervous smile on their face. They nudged each other to say something to the queen first, both giggling to themselves. Elsa stared in silence, waiting for what they had to say.

"Well, what it is?" She finally asked impatiently. She wanted to get back to painting as soon as possible.

"Elsa, do you know what happens after marriage?" Anna asked, covering her mouth.

Elsa shifted her eyes as she searched for the answer. ". . . Sharing the same room?" She guessed. The couple shook their heads.

"Less time on the job?" Elsa guessed again, staring at Kristoff. She knew instantly that wasn't the right answer.

"No," Anna blurted out. "It's something very important."

"What is it?" Elsa asked as she finally started to get a feeling as to what her sister was getting at, though she hoped it wasn't true.

Kristoff nodded to Anna, and she decided to come clean.

"Elsa!" Anna said, as firm as she could. "I'm pregnant!"

Kristoff and Anna had never thought Elsa could become any paler. The older woman's jaw dropped, her eyes widened into the size of saucers. The silence that followed was colder than that of a frozen heart, and the couple instantly regretted ever telling Elsa the seemingly good news. Sven, who had been posing for the painting up until then, immediately straightened up when he heard the news, a look of shock on his snout.

Olaf was the one who broke the silence.

"Pregnant!" He blurted out. "Isn't that great! Kristoff and Anna have a baby now! Aren't you happy, Elsa?"

Anna and Kristoff noticed the temperature was dropping in the area fast, and Anna gave Kristoff a look that signaled that he should probably go. The man may have been a rough ice harvester, but he knew better than to argue with his wife, especially when his life may be in danger.

Kristoff had barely taken one step back when Elsa grabbed him by the shoulder, turned him around, and asked, quietly but firmly, "You. . . got my sister. . . pregnant?"

"Um. . . it was an accident," Kristoff said defensively, even though he knew how slim of a chance it had of diffusing the situation.

Now Anna was the one going pale. She didn't plan for her son, or daughter, to have to grow up without a father.

"Elsa, it wasn't that bad," She said, hoping to cool her sister down. "It was great, actually."

Elsa didn't appear to be listening. Her gaze was on Kristoff; he was one she wanted an answer from.

"You got my sister pregnant?" Elsa repeated, bordering on a shout. Ice was beginning to appear on Kristoff's shoulder where Elsa was gripping him.

"Um, yes," Kristoff said, still not knowing what the best answer would be.

"Anna's going to be a _mother_?" Elsa asked as the ice increased on his shoulder. "You're going to be a _father_? I'm going to be an _aunt_?!"

Then she stopped. The ice immediately vanished as Elsa's eyes lit up, and her mouth widened.

". . . I'm going to be an aunt?" She said, this time to herself. She let go of Kristoff, who let out a breath of relief.

Elsa turned away from Anna and Kristoff. She placed a hand on her chest, her lower lip quivering. _I'm going to be an aunt._

Elsa let out a joyful squeal as she spun around and wrapped her arms around Kristoff in a loving embrace. "Thank you, Kristoff!" She shouted as she lifted the large ice harvester into the air in a hug.

"I have to tell Gerda and Kai!" Elsa said as she set Kristoff down. She raced off towards the castle, a trail of ice following her.

"Hey, everybody! I'm going to be an aunt! Isn't this great!"

Kristoff, Anna, Sven and Olaf watched her leave. Kristoff was still marveled at his lucky escape.

"She took that better than I thought she did," Anna said, a hand on her growing stomach. She then doubled over in pain, and Kristoff got over his own shock to run over to comfort his wife.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Couldn't be better," Anna said with a strained, but genuine, smile. "Kristoff, when our baby is born, it'll be the best day of our lives!"

* * *

Days, weeks, months passed. Elsa counted down the day when it would come. When her sister's baby would be born.

Anna had been in labor, awaiting the birth of her infant. Kristoff, Olaf, and even Sven had been by her side, doing their best to comfort her. Elsa had spent much of that time confined to her room, still asking herself questions.

Would it be a boy, or a girl? What would the baby's name be? Who would it resemble more, the father or the mother?

The day finally came when Kai burst into the room, disrupting Elsa's thoughts. He didn't say a word, for his face was all it took for Elsa to know.

The baby had arrived.

Elsa took off to the room where her sister was being held. When she arrived, she found Olaf, awaiting her arrival. Sven had a grateful smile on his snout. Kristoff was standing by the bed.

In the center of it all was Anna, holding her beautiful little child.

Elsa had never smiled brighter in her life. How she wanted to rush over and take the baby into her own arms and hug and kiss it. She steeled herself not to.

"Anna?" Elsa asked.

"It's a girl," Anna said, a smile on her face. Elsa looked at her sister's face. She was a mother now.

"Can I?" Elsa asked as she neared the bed, her arms outstretched. Anna handed the infant to Elsa to hold.

Elsa held the infant in her arms. The girl truly was beautiful; she had her sister's eyes and freckles. Elsa remembered when she was three, when Anna was born. The baby looked so much like Anna once had.

"I love her," Elsa whispered, blushing. "Did you name her?"

"I wanted that gift to be up to you," Anna said, nodding to her elder sister.

Elsa looked from her sister to the baby in her arms. The baby stretched outs it tiny arms and rested her hands on Elsa's nose. Elsa smiled, and touched the baby's nose with her finger.

"I know," Elsa said with a bright smile. "Her name will be. . ."

* * *

 _That's the end of the chapter, everybody. This is my first Frozen story, so I hope I did good. Read and review._

 _Added note: Feel free to suggest baby names :D_


	2. Thaw, Princess of Arendelle

_Congratulations to the reviewer who suggested the name I chose :D_

 _A/N: For those who are curious, the cover is from deviantart. I couldn't have found a more fitting image to represent this story. Anyways, I'll start responding to reviews eventually._

 _Before I continue, I just want to get something out of the way, in case anyone is wondering: no, the child will not have ice or fire powers. She's completely ordinary... in the best way. If she had powers, Elsa would have less reason to afraid of harming her. So there._

* * *

The girl was named Thaw.

That was a name that perplexed most of the staff when they heard it. It didn't befit a person of royal, and not only that, but it was predominately a boys name. It bewildered them that the queen of Arendelle would bestow her niece such a name. But Queen Elsa didn't care. She loved the name, and it stuck.

Princess Thaw of Arendelle. Anna and Kristoff had liked it right from the start. They didn't confide it to the staff, but they knew the meaning behind the child's name.

 _Love will thaw._ It suggested such sweetness and nostalgia.

Princess Thaw was born under the Aurora of the northern hemisphere. Some say that when she was born, the heavens opened so that she was blessed. That was a mere rumor, though.

When Queen Elsa laid her eyes on her newborn niece, and saw the way Thaw's eyes glimmered, it crossed her mind that maybe, Anna had given birth to someone who was just like her. Someone who shared her gift.

Alas, it could not be. Years passed, Thaw grew up, and she was a normal human being, just like her parents.

There was something perplexing about the girl, even if she had no control over the powers of ice and snow. Before a year had passed, she was already walking and climbing on top of the headdresses. She was speaking her first words in that time, too.

By the time she was two, Thaw could form almost coherent sentences with those decades her senior.

Thaw's first words had been, "Auntie Elsa."

Elsa couldn't believe it when she heard Thaw speak for the first time.

"Oh Thaw," Elsa had told her. "You'll make the best princess ever."

* * *

"Thaw, stop that! Stop riding Ander! This is no way for a princess to act!"

Elsa had not anticipated that Thaw, at such a young age, would already know how to ride a reindeer.

The reindeer's name was Ander. He was Sven's calf, and was close to Thaw in age, if a bit younger. He'd grown up lively and full of an energy that could not be quelled, and he was Thaw's closest companion.

Currently, Thaw was riding Ander through the docks of the kingdom. Anna and Kristoff had left to go visit a neighboring kingdom, and their ship was just now returning. It was the longest time Thaw had been separated from her parents. Elsa knew that would get Thaw upset, but not to this extent.

The guards had failed to keep Thaw or Ander within the castle gates, and the young girl was rushing to reunite with her parents after the temporary separation.

"Thaw, come back here!" Elsa commanded, trying to put on her "queenly" voice so Thaw would listen to her. It didn't work.

"Mommy!" Thaw shouted as Ander soared through the air and landed on the wooden docks as the ship approached. "Daddy! I'm here! I can't wait to see you again!"

Before she reached the ship, Thaw felt herself get yanked into the air by an invisible force. Giving an excited squeal, Thaw was carried through the air by Elsa's winter breeze.

"Auntie Elsa, stop it," Thaw said, though she had a playful smile on her face. Elsa set Thaw down on the floor, a disappointed look on her face.

Ander didn't stop running, even though Thaw wasn't riding him anymore. He was fully aware that he was bound to be in for trouble of his own if he didn't get out of the area, fast.

Ander stopped when he ran into a long, furry leg. Ander made a barking sound as he collapsed on his back, and found himself staring up into the big, dark eyes of his father, Sven, who had just gotten back from the forest.

Sven stared down at his young son, a disappointed, but knowing look in his eyes. Ander mustered the most innocent face the young reindeer could. Sven stared down at him, then made a grunting noise and made a gesturing move with his face. Ander's face fell, and he got up and shuffled off in the direction his father had sent him to, dejected.

Sven watched his son leave, then turned to Elsa and Thaw, who was staring at the ground, a misty look in her eyes.

"Good morning, Auntie Elsa," Thaw greeted, her arms folded across her back, one leg twisted behind the other. This was what she always did when she knew one of her elders was disappointed in her.

"Princess Thaw," Elsa said, sounding strict, but warm as well. She wasn't angry at her niece. Disappointed, but she just couldn't feel anger towards her.

"What have we said about riding the reindeer," Elsa reprimanded, her arms folded across her chest.

"It's unregal," Princess Thaw said in a hollow voice. She hated having to hear this.

"And?" Elsa said.

"It's un-princessy," Thaw replied, rolling her eyes as she spoke and keeping herself from sighing. "And it's un-boring." She added that last line in under her breath.

"I just wanted to see mommy and daddy now that they're back," Thaw said, looking up at Elsa, clasping her hands together and giving her aunt the puppy dog eyes. "I just love them so much."

Elsa' heart melted when she saw Thaw's face. No matter how many times she fell for it, she couldn't stay upset when Thaw gave her that look.

"Go on, say hi to mommy and daddy," She said. Thaw gave a bright smile and she immediately ran off towards the docks just as Anna and Kristoff were getting off.

"Mommy!" She shouted as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Anna before she'd even gotten off the boarding ramp. Anna didn't falter. She was used to it.

Thaw was now four years old. When she was born, she'd instantly taken on her mother's face with her blue eyes and freckles. Now that she was older, she'd gained some of her father's physical attributes as well. She had Kristoff's golden hair, and his nose.

Elsa had wanted Thaw to be a princess, but it appeared Thaw didn't share her aunt's wishes. As soon as she was old enough to gain her own mindset, she had discarded the princess outfit and taken on her father's outfit for when he was a kid. It also wasn't uncommon to see Thaw joining her father during winter while collecting ice. Elsa didn't quite know why her niece wanted to be an ice harvester, but she never said it aloud. he still liked to think of Thaw as a royal princess, though.

"Did you miss us?" Anna asked as she set Thaw down, even though she already knew the answer.

"Did I?" Thaw asked, wrapping her arms around her mother's waist. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"We were only gone for three days," Kristoff pointed out. He pulled something out of his pocket, and produced a diamond crown.

"By the way, I got this for you," Kristoff said, handing the crown out for Thaw to see. The young girl's eyes glittered when she saw it.

"It's for me," Thaw asked, taking the crown into her small hands.

"Yeah, the royals in Corona said they'd give it to us 'in good faith'," Kristoff said, mimicking a voice that Thaw didn't recognize. Nevertheless, she tried the crown on her head. It fit.

"I love it, daddy!" Thaw said, a bright smile on her face. "Do I look like a princess?"

". . . Yes," Kristoff said.

"You hesitated," A new voice said.

It was Olaf.

"No, I didn't," Kristoff said, walking past the snowman. "And we're not talking about this again." He left before Olaf could say anything else.

"Do I look pretty?" Thaw asked the snowman for his opinion.

"You look just like your mother did when she was your age," Olaf complimented her, the flurry whirling over his head.

"Aw, I love you Ola. . . how do you know how my mother looked like when she was my age?" Thaw asked.

Olaf didn't answer that. He just giggled, and rushed off to join Kristoff and Sven.

The moment they were gone, Thaw removed the crown. As beautiful as it was, she thought it would look much better on Auntie Elsa.

She just wanted to find the right time to give it to her.

* * *

 _Read and review. Once again, new to writing Frozen stories, so I hope I did a good enough job._


	3. Cold Fever

_Thanks to all who are reviewing, faving, and following. Also, it always helps when those who are following the story can leave comments. Really appreciate it._

 _Moving on now._

* * *

One day, Thaw became sick. The royal physician said that she had caught a fever, and that it was temporary and would pass.

Until then, she was forced to stay in bed with a sore throat and a bad headache until she recovered. For days, Thaw was bedridden as her illness showed no signs of submerging.

After the first week passed, her family came to visit her.

It pained her parents to see her in this state. Her skin was paler than usual, and Thaw's breathing was ragged. Her eyes were cloudy and her nose was stuffy.

"How are you doing?" Anna asked, her hands clasped together. Standing next to her, Kristoff and Elsa watched with concern. Even Olaf had a serious and worried look on his face.

Thaw turned to face her parents, and coughed loudly.

"Hi, mom," She said, her throat dry. She forced a weak smile. "I'm doing. . . fine."

They could tell she was fibbing so they would be less worried about her. Kristoff stepped forward, and rested a hand on his daughter's forehead.

"You'll get better soon, Thaw," He consoled her. "It's just a cold. It will pass."

Thaw smiled, but it soon vanished. She turned and stared up at the ceiling. A tear streamed out of her eyes. She'd never felt so helpless in her life.

Now Elsa came forward. She hesitantly held out the crown Kristoff had gotten, and placed it on Thaw's head.

"No matter what happens, you'll always be a princess," She reassured her niece, and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Remember that."

"Thanks, Auntie Elsa," Thaw whispered.

* * *

The following day, Thaw's fever got worse. The physician didn't know how to explain it, but he said that it seemed Thaw's fever had somehow shifted into the more dangerous hypothermia.

Thaw's skin turned cold and blue. She would shiver erratically while in bed, and would often cover herself in the sheets of the bed. Her breathing spiraled out of control fast, and her pulse and heartbeat weakened.

This continued for several days. The family panicked. They brought in the best doctors the kingdom had to try and treat their sick daughter, before her condition got worse.

At first, her condition seemed to become even worse as she was treated. However, after a week had passed, Thaw's health gradually returned to her. Her skin returned to it's normal color, her breathing became normal, her pulse strengthened, and her heartbeat became faster.

After several more days, Thaw's illness had passed. After her battle with the potentially fatal sickness, she was healthy now.

During this time, Elsa had not gone to see Thaw. She'd stayed away from her niece while she recovered, trying to comprehend what had caused Thaw's health to deteriorate so quickly. She remained locked up in her room, not coming out.

One day, Thaw came to visit Elsa.

"Aunt Elsa?" Thaw asked, somewhat concerned for her aunt.

Elsa was seated in a chair, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She looked different than before. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes looked heavy and tiresome, as if she hadn't slept in days.

She didn't respond to Thaw, so her niece wondered if she hadn't hear her.

"Auntie Elsa?" Thaw said, louder this time. Elsa's head snapped up, her eyes widening for a moment.

"Yes, Thaw?" She asked, rubbing her sore eyes.

"Mommy's asking for you," Thaw explained to her aunt. "She said she was worried about you. That she hadn't seen you like this in years."

"Tell Anna I'm fine," Elsa said, waving her niece off. Thaw stared at Elsa, somewhat conflicted, and turned to leave. However, as she did, Elsa suddenly shouted, "Stop."

Thaw froze, and turned to face her aunt.

"Actually, tell Anna to come and see me right now," Elsa said. "Alone, though."

Thaw nodded, and left the room.

* * *

Thaw remained in her room after she called to mother to come and see Elsa. She sat on her bed, kicking her legs out as she tried to figure out why Elsa was acting so strangely.

In her short time on this world, Thaw had never seen Elsa in such a state. She'd always looked up to her aunt as a queen, a monarch. One could say she looked up to Elsa as a higher authority figure than her own parents.

What she'd seen in that room disturbed her, and she never wanted to see Elsa in such a state again.

Thaw looked at the diamond crown that Elsa had given her. She remembered that she'd wanted to give it to Elsa when the time was right. What better time than to cheer her aunt up when she was feeling down?

So that was what she did. She stepped out of her room and walked down the hallways, the crown in her hand. Surely, when her aunt saw what Thaw was giving her, her state of bitterness would pass.

As she neared Elsa's room, she could make out the sounds of two people talking. She recognized it as Elsa, and her mother.

"Elsa, it's not your fault," Thaw heard Anna said.

"Your daughter got sick because of me," Was Elsa's bitter reply.

Thaw stopped. Rather than burst through the door, she stopped and silently planted her ear against the door to listen in on what the two older women were saying.

"When I touched Thaw," Elsa was saying. "That was what caused it. She got sicker than before."

"When you kissed her?" Anna replied, her voice choking. "No, that's not what happened. Elsa, you love her. You know better than that."

"When Thaw became sick, I made her condition worse," Elsa said, her voice lined with self-deprecation. "She didn't get better until I was far away from her. If I'd continued to be near her, she might have-"

"Don't say that!" Thaw jumped when she heard her mother shout. "My daughter would never die because of you!"

There was a cold silence, and then Elsa replied.

"It's true," She said with a sigh. "If your daughter ever got sick again, me being around would only make it worse. And she may not survive it this time."

"Thaw's a strong girl," Anna reassured her sister. "No illness would kill her."

"She's a _young_ girl," Elsa pointed out. "Illnesses kill young people. And I may be that illness."

"Elsa, you love her!" Anna said, her voice rising again. Thaw had never heard her mother sound so forlorn.

"You've never made her sick in the past, Elsa," Anna consoled her sister. "Why would you in the future. You can't let fear rule your life again."

For a while, Thaw heard no more words. There was just a bitter, cold silence. But in a way, the silence spoke louder than words ever could.

"Get out, Anna," Elsa said, and Thaw was disturbed to almost hear anger in Elsa's voice.

"But, Elsa-"

"I'm your big sister, and your queen, don't talk back!"

The volume was cut off by silence, followed by the sound of sorrowful footsteps walking towards the door. Thaw gasped and stepped away from the door.

The door opened, and Anna walked out. Thaw caught a brief glimpse of her mother, a dejected look on her face. Thaw had never seen her mother look like that.

Anna hadn't seen her. Thaw pressed her small body against the wall to avoid being seen. She didn't want either of them to know she had overheard. Anna paused for a moment, and then walked down the opposite side of the hallway.

Thaw didn't move until she was sure Anna had left. Then, she walked to the front of the closed door, and pressed her hands against it.

The door felt cold, chilly.

She looked at the crown in her hands, then up at the door. She wanted to go in and give it to her aunt, if she could just get her aunt to smile.

But she didn't. She didn't know why, but she didn't go into the room. Her hand tightened around the crown, and she stepped back. A tear streamed down her cheek, and she didn't wipe it away.

From now on, things would never be the same. She knew it.

* * *

 _Read and review, everybody. I'll be responding to reviews next chapter._


	4. Frozen Heart

_Time for responses!_

 _Guest: Oh? Maybe it has happened, just not on-screen._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Of course I'm responding to reviews. I'm doing it now._

 _I am a burglar: There's going to be action, alright. Count on it._

 _Korrasami 88: No offense, but can you stop leaving reviews like that. It may not be your intention, but they come across as you simply not having much to say. You've wrote nearly identical reviews in the past._

 _Antha1: They visited her, this is just the one that mattered the most. Also, Elsa reduces fevers? Haven't you seen Frozen Fever?_

* * *

A few days later, Elsa was in preparations to deliver a message to a neighboring kingdom on managing their trade regulations when Princess Thaw came to visit her.

"Auntie Elsa?" Thaw said to her, her voice timorous and doubtful, in stark contrast to how she usually sounded.

"Not now, Princess Thaw," Elsa said to her, her eyes still on the note she was trying to write. She wanted her note to be perfect; there couldn't be any flaws, lest she disappoint the lord of the neighboring kingdom.

Thaw took a step backwards. "I just want you to know I don't blame you for my fever," She said, her voice just barely above a whisper.

Elsa blinked once, and she looked away from her note and towards her niece. Her eyes were dull, with no expression in them at all.

"Very well, Princess Thaw," She said after a cold silence, her nails biting into the table. "Now, I have important matters to attend to at the moment. Grownup stuff, you know. Go play with Ander for now."

"But Auntie Elsa, I know about what you and mommy were-" Thaw started, but Elsa cut her off with a wave of her arm.

"Do as I say, Princess Thaw," Elsa demanded. There was no anger in her voice, only sternness.

Thaw wanted to say something, but it was no use. She was in no position to argue with Queen Elsa. She did the best curtsy she could manage towards the Queen, and then turned and left the room.

* * *

 ** _Four Years Later_**

A group of ice harvesters gathered together atop a frozen lake. The sound of ice breaking echoed through the cold, winter air as the harvesters plunged their large, silver saws into the ice.

 _Born of cold and winter air and mountain rain combining_

 _This ice force both foul and fair has a frozen heart worth mining_

 _So cut through the heart, cold and clear_

 _Strike for love, and strike for fear_

 _See the beauty, sharp and sheer_

 _Split the ice apart!  
_

 _And break the frozen-_

"Hey, do we always have to sing this song?"

The ice harvesters all abruptly stopped mining, and all heads turned down to the young blonde girl with the ice gaff in her tiny hands. The girl immediately shrunk down when she saw everyone looking at her with annoyed glances.

The girl's father walked up to her, an exasperated look on his face.

"Princess Thaw," Kristoff chastised, slinging his ice gaff over his shoulders. "What did we say about interrupting the miners while they were singing?"

"Sorry," Princess Thaw said, looking at the ice lake, embarrassed. "It's just, we sing this same song every year, and I wonder if we could ever change the lyrics or-"

"Come on, it's tradition," Kristoff replied. Turning to the men, he said, "You guys keep singing."

The harvesters stared at Kristoff and his daughter, then they all shrugged and continued mining for ice.

 _And break the frozen heart!_

 _Hyup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go! Hyup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go!_

Princess Thaw was eight years old now, the same age Kristoff had been when he was adopted by the trolls. Some would say she now looked like the spitting image of her father as a child.

The moment she was old enough, Thaw had willingly taken part in Kristoff's ice harvesting job, especially since he was Arendells'e official Ice Master and Deliverer. Whether anyone disagreed or not, they didn't say it aloud.

Kristoff watched as Thaw loaded a large block of ice onto a sled ridden by Ander. He couldn't believe the way she effortlessly carried the heavy blocks over her head, even the ones just as big as she was.

Christian, one of the ice harvesters, strode up to Kristoff, a smirk on his face.

"She's a better ice harvester than you at that age," He said, nudging Kristoff playfully.

Kristoff's eyes widened as he flash backed to when he tried out at ice harvesting as a child.

"Oh, rack off, will you!" He said, shoving Christian away. The ice harvesters all let out hearty laughter at the Ice Master's plight.

Thaw pretended not to notice. An ice harvester slid a block of ice to her, and she loaded it onto the sled.

"Hey, Ander, do you think I'll be Ice Master and Deliverer one day?" She asked her reindeer companion.

The young reindeer snorted. "'Not if Auntie Elsa has anything to say about that'," Thaw said in Ander's voice.

"Auntie Elsa doesn't care what I do," Thaw said bitterly, loading another block of ice on the sled.

"'Being Ice Master is un-princessy, and Auntie Elsa wouldn't approve'," She said in Ander's voice. She was distracted when a block of ice slid across the lake and struck her leg.

"Ow!" She said, hopping on one foot for a few seconds. Ander neighed in amusement.

Thaw regained balance, and glared at Ander. "Why you little-" She then tackled the reindeer to the ground, and the two started wrestling on the frozen ice.

The ice harvesters all threw back their heads and laughed at the amusing sight before them. Kristoff, on the other hand, face palmed.

Where was Anna when he needed her?

* * *

Far off from the kingdom of Arendelle lay the sovereign duchy of Weselton. It had been nine years since Arendelle had severed all contact with the duchy after the disastrous events of the Great Thaw.

The Duke of Weselton was now very old. One day, he had tripped and broken his hip after his attempts at dancing to impress a queen from another kingdom. Now, he walked with a hobble, a cane in hand to keep him steady.

The Duke limped to the window, and stared off at the deep blue ocean that lay ahead. In the direction was that blasted Arendelle, home to the wicked sorceress. Why the kingdom had accepted that... _monster_ was beyond his comprehension, and he now wished to have nothing more to do with the blasted kingdom, and all it entailed.

As the Duke stared at the ocean, he noticed a large, brown ship passing by the docks of Weselton. It intrigued him. No ship would ever come so close to Weselton, unless they were transporting something.

He could just barely make out a cloaked figure leave the ship and enter the docks. With his deteriorating eyesight, he couldn't quite make out who it was.

The ship immediately set sail. As it passed by, the Duke noticed that, engraved on the side of the ship, was the symbol of the phoenix bird.

The Duke's eyes widened in horror. It couldn't be happening.

 _It_ was here.

Before the Duke could open his mouth to call for the guards, the sun's lights blazed over the duchy, blinding the Duke. As he shielded his eyes, he saw a large figure swoop down the sun, as if a piece of the sun itself was soaring towards the earth to burn it.

The form took shape, and the Duke saw as it morphed into a giant, golden bird, its wings made of fire.

The Phoenix.

The giant fire bird swooped over the terrified masses as it opened its large beak. A ball of fire was ejected from its beak and smashed into a large building, setting it aflame. Scores of civilians were sent flying by the blast.

Civilians screamed and ran for cover as the fire bird spun around and soared back towards the kingdom. It let out another screech, followed by another blast of fire setting a section of the kingdom aflame.

The Duke watched as, within seconds, his duchy was burnt down. He quickly turned and hobbled to the door to find his emergency exit. His citizens may suffer, but at least he might be able to escape with his life.

He had barely gotten to the door when it swung open, knocking the Duke backwards. His cane clattered to the ground, and the elderly Duke toppled onto his bottom.

Standing before him, the cloaked figure he had seen leave the ship stepped into the room.

 _"You,"_ The Duke whispered, grabbing his cane and pointing it at the figure, as if he would use it as a weapon. "Get away from me!"

The figure continued walking forward, and the Duke shouted, "Guards! Anyone?"

"There's no need for that," The cloaked figure said, pulling the cloak off to reveal a mask in the shape of a bird. "Your guards will not save you."

"Who. . . _what_ are you?" The Duke asked, crawling away from the masked figure, who continued to follow him.

"I am the Phoenix," The masked figure said. "Your kingdom is mine."

A thought crossed the Duke's mind. "Are you in league with the wicked sorceress from Arendelle?!" He spat out vehemently, grabbing a small cross from his table. He held it out, as if to shield himself.

"No," The Phoenix said, standing over the Duke. "Arendelle is next."

"But it's ruled by a sorceress with powers over ice and snow itself!" The Duke said, continuing to hold the cross. "You can't beat her!"

The Phoenix paused for a moment. The Duke could see, behind the figure's mask, it's glowing yellow eyes glimmer brightly with fire.

"Queen Elsa?" The Phoenix said, looking up from the Duke. "So, she's still in power?" Staring back down at the Duke, the Phoenix said, "Well, no matter. I will take what is rightfully mine."

The Phoenix pointed a finger at the Duke, who held up the cross and shouted, "Mercy!"

"A symbol shall not protect you," The Phoenix said, and the tip of the warlord's fingers glowed with fire.

The Duke saw the fire expand, and he screamed out in horror.

The fire was the last thing he saw.

* * *

The Phoenix stared down at the tiny pile of ashes that had once been the Duke. The warlord looked up towards the scorched kingdom, civilians still running for cover even though the fire bird was gone.

 _Insignificant fools,_ the Phoenix thought. _They're all the same. Weaklings cowed by the sight of true power. Just like every other kingdom I've conquered._

The Phoenix stared up at the sun as a new thought entered the warlord's mind.

"So, Elsa the Snow Queen continues to reign supreme," The Phoenix said. "Could it be there is a power on Earth that rival my own?"

The thought was pushed out of the warlord's mind as quickly as it had entered. After all, how could anyone match the power of the Phoenix?

It didn't matter whether it was ruled by a monarch who held power over ice and snow.

Arendelle would soon belong to the Phoenix.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	5. In Ruins

_Okay, with reviews, usually I respond based on the order the reviews came in, but today, I'm going to reply to one person first this time. Why, you may ask? Because this person is REALLY irritating me._

 _Guest: I will say this nicely once: Your talk of "avoid strife"?_ _ **Knock it off.**_ _I don't know if you do this to every story you review, or if you just feel like doing it to mine, but I don't find it constructive or appreciated in any sense. Any writer knows they need to have conflict, or "strife", in order to move along a story, or else it gets boring. I don't need to be "careful" to avoid strife, because a story needs strife to develop it. There's no longer any narrative if there's not some conflict, or else the story stays static. Anyone who reads or writes stories knows this. If you want to add comments on my story, write comments that are actually helpful, or constructive._

 _With that out of the way, let's move on to the other reviews._

 _Korrasami 88: Not yet it isn't._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Oh come on, we know Princess Thaw isn't in to "princess" stuff._

 _I am a burglar: Why don't you make a honest living and become an ice harvester?_

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: At least we don't need to worry about the Duke anymore. Phoenix made sure of that. And yes, Phoenix is the new villain._

 _The 379th Hero: Yes, I did._

 _Antha1: I don't plan for Elsa to treat Thaw exactly like she treated Anna._

 _Nlgirl17: Glad to know I saved your account. And don't worry, I won't leave you hanging._

 _MHS0501: Nah, Thaw's too young for the Phoenix. And I'm not good at romance anyways._

* * *

Queen Elsa stood at the window to her room overlooking the kingdom. She stared down at the ice rink she had created, where some of her citizens skated gleefully. Princess Thaw was among them.

Elsa was thirty years old now. In the years that had gone by, she'd outgrown her former ice dress, and now wore a darker, more form-fitting dress. On her cheek, the painting of a snowflake adorned her skin.

Elsa spent less time with Thaw now. She didn't stop visiting her niece, but it was usually to discuss royal matters, or in education. She wanted her little princess to grow up with an intelligent mind for when she became queen.

"Elsa?"

The Snow Queen's body tensed before she recognized her sister's voice. She hadn't heard Anna come in. She turned around to face her twenty-seven year old little sister, and beckoned her forth.

"Yes, Anna?" She asked.

"You're always watching Princess Thaw from above," Anna pointed out, causing Elsa's eyebrows to furrow. "Why don't you-"

"We've been over this, Anna," Elsa interrupted her. "We have this talk two years ago. You would mother her, and I would "aunt" her."

"Then be an aunt," Anna encouraged. "You don't always have to be Queen."

"Yes I do; it's a responsibility," Elsa replied to her. "You're not Queen; I am. And as such, I have to teach her how to be a queen when she grows up."

Anna walked up next to Elsa, and stared down at her daughter, who was riding Ander on the ice rink, wearing her father's old ice harvester clothing. "I don't think she wants to be a queen," She noted, as much to herself as her sister.

Elsa narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Well, she's not going to grow up to be an ice harvester," She said.

"Oh?" Anna asked, trying not to sound offended. "Is there a problem with my husband's job?"

"I didn't say that," Elsa retorted. Before Anna could reply, the two heard a piercing cry coming from downstairs. Both heads snapped down to the ice rink, where they saw Thaw on the ground, grabbing her knee. It looked as if she'd fallen off of Ander.

"Thaw?" Elsa said, and a sudden fear entered her mind. She raced out of the room at a speed Anna couldn't fathom. She ran down the hallway, just barely avoiding running into Kai and Gerda along the way. She slid down the staircase railings and promptly burst out through the castle gates.

"Thaw?!" Elsa cried out in horror when she saw Princess Thaw lying on the ice rink, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her pale hands clutched her knee. Ander was crouched next to her.

"Oh, no!" Elsa said, snow starting to swirl around her as she devolved into panic. She raced up to scoop Thaw into her arms.

"Are you alright, Thaw?" She asked, cradling the princess in her arms. Thaw bit her lip, as if trying to bite back the pain.

"Tell me you're alright," Elsa said, trying to hold back tears. Anna, meanwhile, left the castle to see what was going on. Several guards were racing over to see if the princess was okay.

"Auntie Elsa. . ." She groaned, forcing her eyes open to stare up at her aunt. "I. . . got you!"

She sprang out of a surprised Elsa's arms and landed on her feet, not even sliding on the ice. Anna immediately let out a relieved smile, while Elsa could only stare in blank surprise.

"You should have seen your face, Auntie Elsa!" Thaw said, skating a few feet away from her and wiping the fake tears from her face. "I can't believe you thought I was hurt. I can't believe you actually held me in your arms."

Elsa's eyes widened and she looked down at her bare hands, and she immediately clasped them behind her back. Behind Elsa, Anna let out a giggle. Elsa heard some of the nearby guards and servants trying to hold back chuckles.

Elsa turned around to glare at her sister, and Anna instantly stopped laughing. Elsa turned to stare back at Thaw. The moment the princess saw the Queen's face, her smile vanished. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to say something, but Elsa's glare kept her silent.

Everyone nearby stopped laughing as Elsa's glare turned around to stare at them to. Each person present felt an icy feeling as they felt the Snow Queen's eyes on them. Ander took a few steps back, and hid behind Sven, who had just arrived on the scene. Next to him, Olaf's normally goofy smile was replaced with one of nervousness and concern for the princess.

Elsa finally turned to stare at Thaw. The princess was staring at her shoes, and she slowly looked up to gaze at her furious aunt. Elsa said nothing; she just pointed a finger at Thaw, and then pointed at the castle. Thaw said nothing; she obeyed, and walked back into the castle.

Anna watched as Thaw passed her without a word. As she did, Thaw briefly looked up at her mother before vanishing into the castle.

Elsa stood in the ice rink, her arms folded and her eyes closed, her chin up. The guards and servants stared at her, unsure of what to do.

Finally, Elsa opened her eyes and said, "Go back to work."

Instantly, the guards and servants all nodded and took off to continue what they were doing previously.

Anna and Olaf both approached the disgruntled Queen.

"Elsa?" Olaf spoke first. "Are you okay."

"I'm fine, Olaf," Elsa said, her eyebrows remaining furrowed. Anna reached out and put a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"She didn't mean to humiliate you," Anna whispered, but Elsa shook her off.

"It's not that!" She snapped, startling her sister. "Do you know how scared I was? When I touched her bare handed,who knows what could have happened. What if I froze her head? What if I froze her heart?!"

"It didn't happen!" Anna said.

"You don't know what could've happened!" Elsa said, pointing a finger at her sister. "You're her mother. You teach that girl proper sense, so something like this never happens again!" With that, she stormed back into the castle.

Anna started breathing heavily as her sister's words hung in the air all around her. She gritted her teeth in irritation, her body tensed.

Then she relaxed her body. She let out a long sigh to calm herself down before she put on the "mom" hat.

* * *

At the ruins of the duchy of Weselton, a large ship floated towards the docks of the kingdom and anchored itself. A boarding ramp was brought out onto the docks for entrance.

A woman walked down the ramp and onto the docks, followed by her guards. She wore a green and pink dress, and a golden crown was on her head.

Her face contorted into shock when she saw the burning kingdom. "What happened here?" She whispered in horror, the destruction resonating in her mind.

An injured civilian limped towards the woman. "Who are you?" He asked, holding his burning arm.

"My name is Queen Agni from Arcturus," The woman introduced, giving a curtsy to the civilian.

The civilian immediately bowed down. "Please, do not curtsy," The man said. "I'm a mere farmer. I'm not fit for a queen to lay her eyes on me."

"Please, don't think so lowly of yourself," Queen Agni said, helping the man to his feet. "I was passing by, when I saw this burning kingdom. What happened here? Was there an attack?"

"Yes," The man said. "But it wasn't by some mere warlord, or rebel. It was something much darker."

Queen Agni's eyebrow raised, and she turned to the nearest guard, a rather large man.

"Flint?" She said to the man, a concerned look on her face. "Could it be who I think it is?"

"It was," The farmer said, having a feeling he knew who Queen Agni was talking about. "It was the Phoenix."

"No," Queen Agni whispered, horrified. "It came here, too?"

"Some say it's a demon from Hell, come to punish us," The farmer said, pointing at the burning kingdom. "The Phoenix is no mere human. It's a _monster._ It summons a fire bird that rains terror from the sky, and it destroys whatever is in its path."

Queen Agni stared at the farmer, intrigued and worried. "What of your leader?" She asked.

"He's dead," The farmer said, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "The Phoenix killed him, and then vanished without a trace. It kills whoever leads us."

Flint took a step forward and looked down at his queen. Agni stared up at him, frowning. She took a look at the burning kingdom.

Suddenly, the farmer got on his knees and grabbed the queen's dress, using it to pathetically wipe tears from his eyes. "Please, protect us! The Phoenix will come back, and destroy us all! You must protect us, please!"

Queen Agni took a deep breath. "I'm afraid I don't know how," She confessed. "Is there anyone who can stop the Phoenix?" Turning to Flint, she asked, "What if it comes to Arcturus?"

Flint frowned at the queen, and continued to stare at the burning kingdom.

Suddenly, the Queen's eyes lit up as an idea formed.

"I got it, Flint," She said, turning to stare at her guard. "I think I know who has the power to stop the Phoenix!"

* * *

 _Read and review._

 _Also, Arcturus isn't a real kingdom. I made it up for the story, so don't try and look it up._


	6. The Message

_Al Drin Hoshizora: I'd "brother" her._

 _I am a burglar: Yeah, you REALLY don't want to go there._

 _The 379th Hero: It's pronounced Ag-NEE._

 _TTluv19: Thanks._

 _Guest: Oh, you're catching on._

 _Korrasami 88: Who can stop it indeed._

* * *

Princess Thaw lay on her bed, hot tears pouring out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She beat on the bed with her puny fist in anguish, her teeth biting onto her bed covers. One of her pillows had been torn by her in her anger.

Some of the servants watched nervously through an open door, not daring to go in and talk with the girl. At times like these, it was best to stay far and observe, rather than intervene.

The door opened a creak as Thaw sensed someone enter. She got up, prepared to face who it was, but she eased up when she saw who it was.

"Mommy," She said as Anna entered, her hands clasped together. Quickly wiping away her tears, Thaw sat up on the bed. She always felt warmer when her mother was around, even though she was still bitter inside.

Anna sat down on the bed with her daughter. "Hey, things got pretty heated up out there," She said, rubbing her daughter's back. "Want to talk about it?"

Thaw frowned. "No," She said, looking away as more tears started to fall. "Leave me alone, mom."

"You're not going to get better if we don't talk," Anna reminded her, a serious look on her face. "Please, Thaw. I'm your mother, I'm here for you."

Thaw looked up at her, her blonde hair falling over her face. "I just wanted her to be with me," She said.

"Elsa?" Anna guessed.

"She's never once done anything with me, except during "grownup stuff"," She said, mimicking Elsa's voice. "She wants to make sure I grow up to be a fine queen someday, and it's stressful sometimes. I thought I could. . . I don't know."

"Elsa doesn't understand these things," Anna said, and she frowned as memories started to resurface. "The truth is, she just wants to protect you."

"Well, she's horrible at it," Thaw said, her eyes narrowing. "How can she protect me by not loving me?"

"I know, Thaw," Anna said, ruffling Thaw's hair. "You know, there was a time when I thought my sister didn't care about me. For years, she shut me out, and I didn't know why." Her eyes narrowed, then she smiled. "But I got over it."

"What are you saying?" Thaw asked, pulling her hair out of her face.

"I thought Elsa was over her fears," Anna said. "But I think it never truly went away. I think it just manifested again with you. The only way we'll solve this, is if she can truly Let It Go."

Thaw frowned. "Well, I can't see that happening," She said. "She's too busy trying to make me Queen."

Anna giggled as a funny memory came up. "Hey, remember when Elsa took you to visit Prince Louie of the Northern Isles for a play date, and he stole Olaf's nose?" Anna recalled. "And then you threw him into the fjord?"

That caused Thaw to smile. "Yeah," She said, smiling brightly and actually laughing. "He was a jerk."

"King Louis the Third was so angry that he almost cut off all trading deals with the kingdom," Anna said. "Elsa was so mad."

"But that was funniest day of the year," Thaw said, laughing. "But I don't think I ever want to get married, or be Queen."

Anna smiled. "If that's what you want, I understand," She said, standing up. "But just remember that no matter what decision you make, I'm your mother and I love you." She kissed Thaw on the forehead.

"Thanks, mom," Thaw whispered.

* * *

Elsa paced in her room, her arms folded behind her back. After the incident that had transpired on the ice rink, she had gone up to her room to think.

She was still angry at Thaw, but as she put her mind at ease, some of the anger faded away, though not enough to brighten her mood. She didn't understand why Thaw had to be so unruly; she'd been raised as royalty, not as a commoner.

The door opened, and she turned to see Kai at the door. In the years that had passed, Kai's red hair had turned gray, and his eyes were heavy and his face wrinkled. After her parents deaths, Kai was the closest thing to a father she had; it was somewhat saddening to recognize that the time would come when he was no longer around.

The old man had a note in his hand. "Queen Elsa, you have a message from another kingdom," He told her.

"Give it to me," Elsa said, stretching her hand out. Kai reached out to hand it to her, but just as they were within arms reach, the man said, "It wasn't right for you to act that way out there."

Elsa recoiled her hand back. "What are you talking about?" She asked, then remembered. "It's my duty as Queen-"

"-It's your duty as aunt to care for your niece," Kai finished for her. "You must not let your fear overcome you again."

Elsa's eyes widened, then she narrowed them. "I am Queen; do not question me," She demanded. "Now, give me the letter." She stretched her hand out once more.

Kai gave her the letter, and then turned to leave the room. As he did, he whispered under his breath, "Oh Elsa, when did you become so cold-hearted?"

Elsa's face shifted into one of pain as she watched the man leave. She was about to say something, but couldn't find the words. She just watched as Kai vanished from the room, his footsteps echoing in the hallway.

Elsa walked over to her desk, and set the letter down. She leaned on the desk, and let out a heavy breath before she proceeded to read the note.

She unraveled the letter, and read it's contents.

 _Queen Elsa of Arendelle,_

 _This is a message from the kingdom of Arcturus. Throughout the seas, there has been a series of raids. Kingdoms are demolished by fire, and their leaders are killed._

 _Those who survive say that the warlord responsible for the attacks is called the Phoenix, a master of fire. Nobody knows who this warlord is, or the origins of this person._

 _Based on the directions of the attacks, it's been determined that the Phoenix is heading to your kingdom. Every kingdom is fearful that this warlord will come and destroy their homes._

 _To counteract this, I, Queen Agni of Arcturus, have sent a message to several nearby kingdoms, so we will come and discuss a plan to stop this threat, before any more lives are loss. You, a master of ice, may be the only one who can stop the Phoenix_

 _Be prepared, and safe,_

 _Queen Agni of Arcturus_

Elsa was breathing erratically when she finished the note. Ice began to form on the table where she held it, and she hurriedly raveled the letter before she took in what was happening.

The Phoenix. She knew the name. It was a bird made of fire. But she'd thought that this was only the stuff of legends. However, it appeared that this Phoenix was real, and was a master over fire.

It was troubling. Elsa had grown up with the ability to control ice, and she'd sometimes considered if anyone else had a similar ability. It appeared it was true, and they used this power for evil. And it was now threatening her kingdom.

Elsa walked to the window, and looked out to observe everything below. Arendelle was such a beautiful kingdom, and she saw all the families down below, happy and content. If the Phoenix came, all of this would be lost.

Still, Elsa didn't know if she was prepared to handle the threat. She'd rarely ever used her skills for combat. How could she battle a warlord who could burn a whole kingdom to the ground, and everyone who lived in it.

Elsa drew in a deep breath.

 _Conceal, don't feel._

She couldn't let the anxiety get to her. If she panicked now, she'd be giving in to the Phoenix, and she'd have no hope for when the warlord arrived. She stood up straight.

She had to follow what Queen Agni said. She had to be prepared.

For her kingdom. For her family.

For Anna.

* * *

Out in the North Sea, a navy of large ships sailed through the oceans, each ship holding an army of warriors. Engraved on the side of each ship was the symbol of the Phoenix.

The largest ship, the _Sirius_ , sailed ahead of the other ships, leading them towards their destination.

On the deck of the _Sirius_ was the Phoenix, the warlord's golden mask glimmering in the sunlight. The warlord's eyes were looking straight forward, awaiting for when they were to arrive at their destination.

One of the crewman ran up to the warlord and said, "Phoenix, Arendelle is in sight. We will arrive soon."

"Good," The Phoenix said, the warlord's hair blowing in the wind. Once the Phoenix's army arrived, it would not be long before Arendelle's kingdoms and citizens fell under the might of the powerful army.

The Phoenix then frowned, the memory of the Duke's warning of Elsa still fresh in the warlord's mind.

"The Snow Queen is indeed powerful," The warlord admitted to nobody in particular. "In fact, she may be the most powerful human being in the world. At least, if it wasn't for me."

Indeed, there was no way the Snow Queen could match up to the Phoenix in power. However, it was also true that the army, no matter how powerful, couldn't conquer Arendelle as easily as they had other kingdoms. Not with a sorceress with the power over ice and snow protecting it.

 _So,_ The Phoenix thought. _I must try a different strategy._

Just as Arendelle came in sight, the Phoenix commanded, "Move our ships to the left, out of sight of the kingdom."

"Why, my lord?" One of the crewman asked. "The kingdom is straight ahead."

"We don't want them to know we're coming," The Phoenix said. "So, set a course to the left. We'll make camp from behind the kingdom, and they won't know we're here. Then, I can set my plans in motion."

The crewman was mystified, but shouted out, "Set a course to the left. Phoenix's orders!"

Behind the warlord's mask, the Phoenix grinned.

"Soon Arendelle, you will be mine," The Phoenix whispered. Then, with a flick of a cape, the warlord vanished to the lower sections of the ship.

* * *

 _Read and reviews._


	7. The Visitation

_Korrasami 88: Let's wait and see._

 _Guest #1: Gratitude for what?_

 _Time Traveling: Responding to all three of your reviews: How about_ _ **no**_ _._

 _Guest #2: No, I'm not making Thaw a "bitch"._

 _Antha1: Well, Arendelle would have to have some sort of army, or else it'd have been conquered years ago._

 _I am a burglar: Don't even think about it._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Let it go._

 _The 379th Hero: Because the Phoenix is the villain._

 _Nlgirl17: Thanks. There actually is a canon explanation for how she got her ice powers, sort of. Apparently, she was born on the winter solstice._

* * *

Princess Thaw liked few other areas in the castle than the stables. It was one of the few places where she could truly be alone, with Ander as her sole compatriot.

Currently, she was holding her father's guitar, Ander snuggled next to her. She knew she wasn't a very good singer, but she felt she might as well give it a try.

"Reindeer are better than aunties, Ander don't you think that's true?" She sang to her companion. "Aunties are boring and pushy and picky, but the same can't be said about you."

"'Now you may be right, but there's something else that's true'," She said in Ander's voice.

"What?" Thaw asked, intrigued.

"'Auntie Elsa's a better singer than you'."

Thaw's face fell. "Darn it," She said, tossing the guitar away into a haystack before getting to her feet. Ander following her, Thaw skipped out of the stables and into the town, walking past the commoners.

"Why do I have to be so weird?" Thaw asked, handing a carrot out to Ander to eat it. "I'm a princess, why can't I act like one? Is it because my dad was raised by trolls?"

Ander shrugged as he chewed on the carrot Thaw had given him. Thaw was about to hand him another one when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a group of homeless beggars, shivering in the dawning winter cold.

Thaw stared at them, a twinge of sympathy in her eyes. How could it be that after all humanity had gone through to survive, there were still homeless people?

As she watched, several citizens apathetically passed by the beggars. It appeared they were a common sight, so seeing them wasn't surprising anymore.

Instinctively pulling the carrot out of Ander's reach, Thaw slowly approached the beggars, who were half-asleep. The moment she was within reach, Thaw removed her cloak off her shoulders, and lay them down on the beggars, sort of like a cover.

The beggars stared up at Thaw, surprised that the royal would act so courteous with them.

"Sorry this is all I can do," Thaw apologized, pulling a carrot out of her bag. Handing it out to the beggars, she asked, "Want one?"

Before any of the beggars could respond, Thaw heard the unmistakable sound of a bell being rung from within the castle grounds. She recognized it as Elsa calling the royals for a meeting, including her.

"Sorry," Thaw said, and dropped the carrot bag at the beggars feet before turning and rushing to the castle, Ander galloping after her. She knew she couldn't be late for a royal meeting.

* * *

When Thaw reached the throne room, she nearly ran into her mother's legs. Anna stared down at her, asking, "Where have you been?"

"Nothing," Thaw said, her arms folded behind her back. She diverted her eyes to the wall, and shifted a bit on her feet uncomfortably.

She recognized her parents and a few staff members in the throne room. Elsa was standing near her throne, in front of everyone. Thaw thought she detected discomfort in her aunt's eyes, but she shrugged it off.

"You called us, Queen Elsa?" Gerda asked, awaiting what the Queen had to say.

Elsa looked at everyone in the room with her. She took a deep breath, and coughed a bit before she prepared to speak. As she did, Thaw raised her arm.

"Auntie Elsa?" She asked.

"Not now, Thaw," Elsa said, waving her off. "I called you all here to discuss things."

"It's important," Thaw stressed, but then sighed and went silent.

"I received a message from another kingdom," Queen Elsa said, ignoring Thaw. "A few neighboring kingdoms are going to be visiting us for a while, to discuss things. It has to do with the future of our kingdom."

"Could you elaborate?" Kristoff requested, a little miffed.

Elsa sighed. "Okay, this kingdom has reason to believe we may be facing an attack," She explained to the staff. "I heard that kingdoms across the North Sea have been facing raids, and this raiding party may be heading here, now."

The staff gasped. A few of them whispered among themselves about this new development.

"What's a raid?" Thaw blurted out curiously, scratching the back of her head. Elsa rolled her eyes.

"We may be facing an attack," Elsa repeated, directed at Thaw.

"Arendelle hasn't faced an invasion in nearly a hundred years," Anna protested to her elder sister. "Surely there must have been some mistake?"

Elsa bit her lower lip, and decided to come out with the other news. "Weselton was attacked today," She confessed. "The old Duke was killed. That was the latest in a series of raids across the North Sea."

The moment they heard that the Duke of Weselton had been killed, the staff just shrugged.

"Meh," Kai said, staring off at the wall.

"Everyone!" Elsa said, her voice rising. "We need to take this seriously. If this warlord is coming to Arendelle, we could all be in grave danger. So, I've invited the other kingdom's representatives to come to Arendelle to discuss what we will do."

The staff and royals all nodded. Elsa noticed Thaw, her head hanging low.

"Princess Thaw?" She asked. The princess rose her head to face her aunt.

"When the other royals arrive, be on your very _best_ behavior," Elsa stressed to the young princess. "That's not a request."

"Okay," Thaw said, lowering her head once more. "Also, I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it?" Elsa asked. "Make it quick."

"There's some homeless people outside the castle," Thaw pointed out, pointing to the window. "I was thinking we could shelter-"

"Princess Thaw," Elsa cut her off. "We have more important matters to discuss here."

"But winter's coming," Thaw argued. "They could die."

"If we don't face this threat properly, we'll all die," Elsa said, holding her finger in the air. Thaw opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. After a while, the princess stomped on the ground before storming off, grumbling.

Anna watched her daughter leave, then walked up to Elsa.

"Elsa, if this warlord reaches Arendelle, what will happen?" She asked her sister.

"Hopefully, my powers will be enough to save this kingdom," Elsa said, staring at her hands. "But we'll decide that when the time comes. For now, we'll have to plan things quickly, before this warlord does arrive."

Anna smiled, and nodded to her sister.

"Good luck to you on that," She whispered.

* * *

Out in the woods overlooking the kingdom, Christian the ice harvester was heading back to his cabin in the woods. After a long day at work, he couldn't wait to return to his wife, parents, and beautiful children.

As he neared the cabin, however, Christian stopped. In the snow, Christian could notice several footprints he didn't recognize leading to the cabin. There were way too many footprints to have been any of his friends.

"Diane?" Christian spoke his wife's name, concerned, and he halted his reindeer. Leaping off, he ran to the cabin, up the short steps, and towards the door.

"Diane, is everything okay?" He asked through the door, holding up the lantern to see what was happening inside.

Initially, he got no response. Then, the door slowly creaked open, and Christian was relieved when he saw his wife, unharmed, at the door.

"Diane," He breathed out, for a moment mentally kicking himself for being so paranoid. However, his relief vanished when he saw his wife's panic-stricken face.

"Christian," She choked out, her arms shaking.

"What is it?" Christian asked, gripping his wife's shoulders. Diane didn't respond; she just took a step away from the door, allowing Christian to look inside the cabin.

Within the living room, a group of men he didn't recognize were within the house. They were all large and scruffy-looking, and all of them had unsheathed swords or spears or other weapons.

One of the men turned to stare at Christian, slouching at the table. His arm was around Christian's grandmother, his other hand on his knife, neatly stuffed in his coat. His grandfather was currently being pushed into an empty room by two other men, but they stopped when they saw Christian.

"They wouldn't leave," Diane whispered, her voice crackling Christian looked at the men, and narrowed his eyes, and raised his lantern.

"Who are you?" He asked, staring at the men in the room. None of them answered. One of them chuckled.

"Answer me!" Christian demanded, and he pulled out his ice gaff. The men frowned, and one of them gestured to a different area of the living room, out of sight from Christian.

Christian heard laughing, which he recognized as from his children. The other laugh, however, didn't register with him. Still holding the gaff, he entered the room and passed the men, walking to the source of the laughing.

Finally, Christian stopped. There, he saw a masked figure sitting in the chair, their arms wrapped around his six year old daughter and four year old son.

The Phoenix.

The warlord laughed and shook the children. "And that's how your father and I slayed the one eyed bear!" The Phoenix said, finishing a story that Christian hadn't been around to hear.

The Phoenix stopped laughing, and turned to stare at Christian. Expressionless eyes through the mask bore into Christian's soul.

"Long time, no see," The Phoenix said, resting back in the chair.

Despite his terror, Christian stood tall. "Who are you?" He asked firmly.

Despite the mask concealing the warlord's face, the Phoenix almost seemed surprised.

"Oh? You don't remember me, Christian?" The warlord asked.

Christian stared hard at the masked person holding his children, and his eyes widened as his memory kicked in.

"It's you," He whispered, remembering finally. "How can it be? You-"

"My name is Phoenix now," The Phoenix said, stretching in the chair. "And as you can see, I've made quite the success in my life." Getting up from the chair, hands still on the children, the warlord waved an arm. instantly, Christian's lantern went out.

"What are you doing back here?" Christian asked, dropping the lantern. Gesturing to the men, he asked, "Who are these people?"

"I just came for a visit," The Phoenix asked, pacing around the living room. "I've missed you Christian."

Christian narrowed his eyes. "There's more to it, I know it," He said. "Why did you bring these men?"

The Phoenix stopped, and turned to Christian. "Indeed, you are correct," The warlord said. "I've come to take back what belongs to me. The kingdom of Arendelle will soon be mine."

Christian's eyes widened. "What has gotten into you?" He asked, concerned.

The Phoenix walked up to the table to take a sip of wine. "My powers have grown since I went off on my own," The Phoenix said, leaning on the table. "I'm stronger than ever now. And, unlike that sorceress Elsa, I've put my powers to good use." Conjuring a small flame, the Phoenix lit a torch hanging from the wall.

Eyes widening, Christian asked, "Are you the murderer we've heard off that ravages the seas?" He asked in horror. "No, it cannot be. We raised you better than this."

"Indeed, which is why I'm offering you a deal," The Phoenix said, striding up to Christian. "When the time comes, I shall attack the kingdom, and Elsa will be no match for me. I'm offering you and your family a position in my forces."

Christian breathed heavily. "My children?" He asked.

He could feel the Phoenix grin behind the mask. "When they come of age."

Christian stared at the Phoenix for a moment, then at his children, who were standing behind the warlord. Turning back to the Phoenix, he bluntly said, "No. I'd rather a life as an ice harvester than a murderer."

The Phoenix shrugged. "How unfortunate."

Christian's blood ran cold as the warlord approached his children. Slowly, the Phoenix rested a hand on his son's blonde hair, and ruffled it.

"What beautiful children," The Phoenix murmured.

"Please, don't harm them," Christian whispered to the warlord. "Please."

The warlord help the children for a moment, then released them. Turning to Christian, the Phoenix raised a hand and said, "I have important business to attend to. You and your family can go back to your worthless lives, but know that I'll be back. I hope you'll have a satisfying answer then."

The Phoenix stomped past Christian, but paused and whispered, "And if you tell anyone I was here, we'll find out just how precious your children's lives are to you."

With that, the Phoenix vanished out into the winter cold. The men all strode past Christian, a few shoving past him and laughing bitterly. Soon, all that remained of their presence was the open door, the chilly wind flowing into the house.

* * *

 _Read and review, please._


	8. The Arrival

_Korrasami 88: Not at the moment._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: You know, with all you said, I actually don't have much to say back._

 _The 379th Hero: Power._

 _Antha1: You can think that._

 _I am a burglar: Fine._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia:.. Rule?_

 _Time Traveling: Yeah...no. Bluntly speaking, it'd be ridiculous to include time traveling in this story. And the only one "commanding, demanding, and insisting" time travel be included is you._

 _Nlgirl17: Well, since Thaw and Phoenix were made-up, I don't have to worry about keeping them in-character, since they're MY characters._

 _MHS0501: We'll find out about Phoenix's past, definitely._

* * *

The very next morning, Elsa awoke earlier than usual. Today was the day the neighboring lords arrived, and she knew she had to make their arrival as pleasant as possible, especially given the circumstances.

The very first thing she did was summon Princess Thaw to her personal room. The princess arrived wearing her typical ice harvester outfit.

"Good morning, Auntie," Thaw said, half-awake. She rubbed her tired eyes, and let out a yawn. Elsa sighed, before staring down at her niece.

"Princess Thaw, change your clothes," She said. Thaw stopped rubbing her eyes, and blinked once.

"What?" She asked, as if she'd misheard.

"The other lords are coming very soon, and I want us all to look presentable," Elsa explained to Thaw. "Anna bought you new dresses last month; I want you to wear the most beautiful dress ever."

Thaw opened her mouth to protest, but Elsa shot a glare at her, and the young princess shut her mouth. Slowly, she turned around and trudged out of the room and towards her own room. She passed by Kai, who was entering the room.

Elsa turned towards the window overlooking the fjord. Outside, she could already see several different ships floating lazily through the North Sea and towards Arendelle. With a sigh, Elsa straightened up.

It was time. She turned to Kai

"Tell the guards to open up the gates!" She commanded.

Kai blinked. "We. . . never closed them," He pointed out. "You said you'd never shut the gates again."

". . . Oh," Elsa said, looking down embarrassed. "Well, keep them open, then. The neighboring lords are here!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Princess Thaw was hurrying out the gates, wearing a bright blue princess gown. She struggled to walk, having never worn a gown as big as this one, and it was uncomfortable at first.

The moment she was outside, she was met with Ander. The two ran through the village and pass the commoners, rushing to the docks to meet the lords who were coming to visit.

"I can't wait to meet them!" She told Ander as she pulled her gown up slightly as she walked down the steps of the docks. "There's going to be kings and dukes. I wonder if I'll meet a queen. I don't think I've ever talked to a queen except Auntie Elsa!"

Ander brayed in response. Thaw was too busy talking to the reindeer, that she wasn't looking in front of her, and she crashed into someone's leg. She tricked on her gown and let out a scream as she toppled onto her bottom, her gown sprawled on the wooden docks.

"Ow," She said, rubbing her aching sides. She looked up at who she'd run into.

Standing in front of her was a young woman who looked to be about Elsa's age. She had lightly tanned skin and a beauty mark next to her brown eyes. Her dark hair fell down to her shoulders, and a golden, diamond crown was adorned atop her head.

She was the most beautiful woman Thaw had ever seen. She opened her mouth, but said nothing.

The woman gasped in horror. "Are you hurt?" She asked, concerned, kneeling down over the child. She extended a hand, which Thaw instinctively grasped.

The woman pulled Thaw to her feet, saying, "I'm so sorry. I just cannot look where I'm going."

"No problem," Thaw said, rubbing her sides. She looked up at the woman. Judging by the crown, she was obviously a royal. Thaw quickly guessed she was one of the visitors.

"Who are you?" Thaw asked, folding her arms.

"Queen Agni of Arcturus," The woman introduced. She turned to one of the ships docking, and said, "That's my ship. We just arrived."

"Oh!" Princess Thaw said, and instantly bowed down. "Your Majesty!"

"I take it from the dress that you, too, are a royal?" Queen Agni asked. Thaw looked up, and nodded.

"I'm Princess Thaw of Arendelle," Thaw introduced to the Queen. "Daughter of Princess Anna and Ice Master and Deliverer Kristoff of Arendelle, niece of Snow Queen Elsa of Arendelle, granddaughter of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle! At your service!"

Queen Agni blinked once before snapping back to attention. "Well, seems you have quite the family history," The Queen said. Looking up at the castle, she asked, "I take it that's Queen Elsa's castle?"

"Correct," Princess Thaw said, pointing to the castle. "You can go there."

"Thank you, princess," Queen Agni said. She turned to her ship, where a large man was leaving on a boarding ramp.

"Flint," Queen Agni said to the man. "Come and join me. We're going to the castle."

"Yes, you're majesty," Flint said, and joined the Queen by her side as they exited the docks and headed towards the village leading to the castle.

Thaw watched the two leave, and started to lean against Ander, a smile on her face. "Well, that went well," She said to her reindeer companion. As the other ships docked and the royals started to exit their ships, Thaw said, "I hope the other royals are just as nice."

The sounds of boots walking on the docks echoed as more and more royals and their guards entered the docks. Thaw rushed up to them, greeting them by saying, "Good morning, royals. My name is Princess Thaw, daughter of-"

Thaw was abruptly cut off when one large royal stormed right into her, knocking her onto her back. "Move it!" The large king said to his men as he stepped over the princess and headed out of the docks.

"Ow," Thaw said, sitting up. She gasped and rolled out of the way as the king's men all charged down the docks, acting as if they hadn't even seen her.

"Yeesh," Thaw said. As the other royals came up, Thaw said, "Good morning, I'm-"

She quickly dodged out of the way as one noble strode right past her, saying, "Yeah, well I'm loud."

"Don't expect us to apologize for it," The noble's guard said to Thaw, walking next to the noble.

A prince sipping a drink stepped over the princess, saying, "This wine sucks," Before chucking it onto the fjord.

"Hey, that's contamination," Thaw mentioned before a blonde woman shoved past her, commenting, "Your dress looks stupid."

Before long, the docks were completely empty, except for Thaw and Ander. The princess stood up, her hair fuzzy, and she stumbled a bit as she tried to regain her balance. Ander walked up and leaned against her to support her.

Thaw shook her head, and rubbed her forehead.

"Well, that could've gone better," She muttered. "Greetings are over, don't think Ander?"

Ander nodded in agreement.

* * *

Anna and Kristoff stood at the gates to greet the coming royals. Kristoff had his best suit on, chosen by Queen Elsa. Anna was wearing a different coronation outfit.

Anna turned to Kristoff, and whispered, "Is that a beard I see."

Kristoff looked to Anna, stroking his chin. "I don't know what you're talking about," She said, chuckling a bit before staring ahead. The royals were here.

The first to arrive was the large king, a flowing brown beard lined down his large chest. "Greetings, ma'am," The king said to Anna. "I am King Andreas from Iolcos."

"Greetings, Your Majesty," Anna said. "I am-"

"Son of the Mighty King Nexus the Third," King Andreas interrupted, striking a pose and flexing his muscles. "I come from a long line of mighty warriors, descended from-"

Anna mentally shut herself off from the king's monologuing. Her gaze shifted downwards.

"Wow, his size is huge," She whispered.

Kristoff's eyes widened at Anna's comment. "What?" He asked, turning to his wife.

"His shoe size," Anna replied, pointing at his massive feet. "They're ginormous."

Kristoff blinked once, a little embarrassed. "Oh," He said bluntly.

The king finally finished monologuing, and stepped back. This time, the blonde woman in a red gown came forward.

"I'm Princess Circe," The princess introduced, giving a courtesy. Kristoff's gaze wondered, and he couldn't help but stare. Circe had a lot of chest to show.

Anna noticed Kristoff staring, and elbowed him. The Ice Master and Deliverer immediately straightened up, clasped his hands together, and whistled a jaunty tune.

One of the dukes walked up. "Enough of this," He said, impatient. "We came to see Queen Elsa. Where is she?"

"She's inside, sir," Kristoff said, a little put off by the duke's tone. Quickly, the dukes and royals all walked past the couple and through the castle gates.

The moment they were gone, Anna whispered to Kristoff, "Are all dukes like this?" Her husband only shrugged in response.

They hadn't noticed Queen Agni and her guard Flint approaching. The queen walked up towards them, and said, "Ahem?"

The couple snapped up, their arms locked around each other. "Yes, ma'am," Anna greeted to the older woman.

"Are you Princess Anna?" Queen Agni asked, stretching her back a bit. Anna nodded a bit.

"T-That's me," The princess stuttered for a moment, giggling. Agni giggled a bit as well.

"I met your daughter back at the docks," Queen Agni recalled, gesturing to the docks. "I hope she wasn't trampled by all those royals coming in."

"I hope not," Kristoff mumbled. "But you don't want to see us. You want to see Queen Elsa. She's in the castle."

"Thank you, Ice Master and Deliverer Kristoff," Agni said, nodding to him. She walked past him, only to stop dead in her tracks as Olaf the Snowman walked by.

"Why hello, madam," Olaf greeted. "I'm Olaf, and I like warm-"

"Augh!" Queen Agni shouted, and instinctively kicked the snowman in the face. Olaf's head soared off, and landed in Kristoff's arms, his head upside down.

"Wow, it's like your all hanging off the earth like bats again," The snowman said, and giggled.

". . . Well, this brings back memories," Kristoff said, and sighed.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	9. Politics

_Time Traveling: I will say this one last time: You're not the one writing this story. I am. And you don't get to tell me what I can or cannot write. Advice is fine; "demanding" is not._

 _Korrasami 88: Indeed._

 _The 379th Hero: Even if it's a snowman?_

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: I just felt like updating two stories that day._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Indeed._

 _Antha1: Well, they're. . . Yeah, I got nothing._

 _Nlgirl17: I wanted to stay faithful to the movie, hence the comedy._

 _I am a burglar: Why do you need HER ship?_

* * *

Elsa stood in her throne room, awaiting the arrival of the arriving nobles with a pang of anxiety. In the years that had passed since the Great Thaw, Elsa had grown more used to social affairs, but the number of royals arriving gave her a sense of discomfort.

The doors opened, and Elsa eased up when she saw that it was only Kai.

Then, the old servant opened his mouth and said, "The royals are here to see you now."

Just as the words left his mouth, a group of nobles elegantly marched into the room in a line, King Andreas at the front. The large king strode up to Queen Elsa confidently, and bowed down once they were standing in front of each other.

"Greetings, I am King Andreas," The king introduced. Standing up to his full height, Elsa marveled at how large he was. She was barely up to the man's massive chest. She finally snapped out of her trance and greeted in return, "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Pleased to meet you."

"It gives me great pleasure to lay eyes upon you," King Andreas complimented, and proceeded to step back to allow the other nobles to speak.

This time, a prince, who looked to be in his early-to-mid twenties, stepped forward.

"I am Prince Howard," The prince said. Before Elsa could respond, he continued, saying, "So, this is Queen Elsa of Arendelle? You're more beautiful than I ever could have imagined."

"Thank you," Queen Elsa said through gritted teeth. She wished she could just get the formalities out of the way and get to business.

Suddenly, Queen Agni shoved past the other royals and made her way towards Queen Elsa. She pushed past Prince Howard and stepped up towards Elsa.

"I am Queen Agni of Arcturus," She greeted. "I'm the one who sent you the message. I'm the reason you called us all here."

"Oh," Elsa said bluntly. "Thank you for that, Queen Agni."

Queen Agni blinked. "So, is it true that you're the Snow Queen?" She asked, intrigued. "That you can control ice and snow?"

"Well, I don't like to brag, but-" Elsa started before being cut off.

"Show us!" King Andreas demanded forcefully. "I want to see this for myself!"

Elsa, feeling the pressure of everyone watching her, hesitantly complied. Before the eyes of everyone present, Elsa summoned a small ball of snow in front of the royals, who gasped in awe.

"So, she really does have powers," Princess Circe whispered to one of the guards.

Elsa quickly evaporated the snow into thin air. "That's all for now," She said to the royals. "You were called here for a reason. Not to admire me, or my powers, but we were supposed to talk about the Phoenix!"

Agni frowned. "Yes, that," She said, her eyes turning dull. "Well, we better get a move on and decide things fast. Who knows when that monster will be here?"

Elsa's face fell. Indeed, Agni was right.

When would the Phoenix arrive?

* * *

The royals spent the next several hours discussing the matter at hand within Elsa's royal courtroom. They sat at the table, talking about strategies and battle plans while at the same time feasting on the dinner provided by the servants.

"I say we take a large flotilla, meet that warlord in the seas and blast him to pieces!" King Andreas declared confidently, slamming a large fist on the dinner table and flipping a plate in the air, gulping the meat down as it soared in the air.

"No, that'd be too easy," One of the dukes complained. "And if the Phoenix is really a master of fire, how can a simple ship defeat him?"

"But we'd be in water!" Andreas pointed out. "He must be weak against water!"

"Oh no, water, my only weakness!" Queen Agni said mockingly. "Come on!"

Prince Howard stood up. "Well, since Elsa controls ice, I say she freezes the ocean and traps the Phoenix's ship in ice," He suggested. "She's done it before, if I recall!"

There was a tense silence, and all the royals slowly turned to stare at Howard. Elsa, in particular, was glaring.

"What?" Prince Howard asked, shrinking down in his chair.

Standing at the door, Anna, Kristoff, Thaw, and Flint stood at the door, watching as the royals discussed matters. Anna had brought Thaw in to watch so she understood what it was like to engage in politics in the future.

During her time as a mother, Anna had come to notice signs of whether Thaw was bored or not. If she wasn't bored, she'd stay quiet and not move. If she was bored, she'd either tap her foot, flex her fingers, or talk.

Right now, she was doing all of them.

"Sweet Iduna, how long have they been talking?" Thaw asked her mother, strands of her hair falling over her face.

"Uh, you shouldn't ask questions like that," Kristoff advised her.

"I don't have the spirit for such long talks," Thaw told her parents. "When I'm older, I am never getting involved in politics."

"There's a reason I never did," Anna whispered back to Thaw.

Next to them, Flint sighed a bit and rolled his eyes. The parents and daughter could tell that the man was rather agitated himself, judging by his tired expression and the way he was clenching his fists.

Thaw's gaze wandered, and she saw a large scar on Flint's hand. She stared at it, intrigued, and Anna nudged her.

"So, Flint, these royals are real chatty, don't you think?" Kristoff asked the guard, trying to spark a conversation.

"Yep," Flint said bluntly. He then continued staring on silently, as if he hadn't even spoken. Kristoff was about to say something in response, but didn't. Flint unexpectedly turned, and walked down the hallways by himself.

"Huh," Kristoff said, and turned back to the courtroom table.

Queen Elsa turned to the window, and noticed that the sun was going down and it was starting to get dark. She silently wandered how they had been talking for so long without noticing the day pass by under their noses.

Quickly, Elsa turned back to the other royals, who were still talking, and said, "Excuse me. We've been making wonderful progress today, but I think it's time to think things over."

When the royals didn't respond, Elsa added, "In the bed."

"Oh," The royals all said, and they quickly got up and dispersed out of the courtroom. They all passed by Princess Thaw, once again acting as if they hadn't seen her.

Thaw narrowed her eyes at the royals, and walked up to Queen Elsa.

"Auntie Elsa, have you actually decided what you're going to do?" Thaw asked her aunt.

"We're still thinking about it," Elsa excused. "Some of these are good strategies."

"Are you even considering using hose strategies?" Thaw questioned, and her face fell when her aunt didn't respond.

"Don't talk back to me," Queen Elsa snapped after a tense silence. She then added, "With all the royals that are here, you may need to give up your room for the time being."

"What?" Thaw asked in disbelief. "But, we have guest rooms."

"I know, but there's a limited amount," Elsa explained. "I want our guests to feel as comfortable as possible. So, you may need to move up to one of the guest rooms."

"Yes, 'cause you're totally giving up your room, too," Thaw said sarcastically. Elsa was about to say something, but Thaw turned and stormed off before she could. She passed by Anna and Agni, who were having a small chat.

"So, how old are you?" Anna asked the Queen. "I'm 27."

"I'm 31," Agni replied, brushing her hair. "Hope that's not too old."

"Really now?" Anna said in astonishment. "Because you look so beautiful."

"Aw, thanks," Agni said, twirling a strand of brown hair around her finger and smiling. At that moment, Thaw pushed past her and Anna and stormed down the hallway.

"What's with her?" Agni asked, intrigued.

"Oh, don't worry about her," Anna said, smiling nervously. "She and my sister can get off on the wrong foot sometimes. She's really nice when you get to know her."

"Oh, so she has auntie issues," Queen Agni said bluntly.

"No, it's not like that," Anna said, her smile fading a bit. "My sister and my daughter are both great people. Just, not when they're upset."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Agni said, frowning. Then, she smiled again and said, "Oh well, time to go to bed. Sweet dreams, princess."

"You too," Anna said, laughing a bit. The moment Agni turned her back, however, Anna's smile vanished.

* * *

Thaw lay nestled in the reindeer stables during the night, snuggled next to Ander, who was also snuggled next to Sven. As it turned out, all of the guest rooms had been taken, and the princess had nowhere else to sleep.

"Tomorrow is a new day, tomorrow is a new day," The tired princess repeated as she lay, half-asleep, next to Ander.

"'Yeah, but it could always be worse'," She said in Ander's voice.

"Oh, come on Ander," Thaw complained to her reindeer companion. "With all these annoying nobles, how could things possibly get worse?"

Suddenly, Thaw was jolted up as she heard a large explosion coming from outside the stables. With her peripheral vision, she could see a glowing orange light coming from outside the window, and knew instantly that it was fire.

The princess then sighed.

"Couldn't wait to prove me wrong, could you?" She said as she got out of the haystack and rushed out the door, Ander following her, in order to get a better view of what was going on.

Once she was outside, Thaw was nearly blinded by what she saw.

Far off from the kingdom, in the forest regions, Thaw saw a large orange creature soaring through the night sky, raining fire down on the forest. Dozens of trees caught on fire and were burnt to the ground, and sparks of flame crackled and burned in the night sky.

Thaw gasped in horror as she saw the green forest turn orange.

"What is that thing?" Thaw asked, and she squinted her eyes to get a better look at the creature in the sky.

Thaw's eyes widened in shock as she got a better look at it.

It was the fire bird.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	10. Hellfire

_Korrasami 88: Um, okay._

 _GANGSTA: Thanks for sticking up for me, even if it was excessive._

 _I am a burglar: Um, sure thing._

 _The 379th Hero: Maybe._

 _Honoka Kosaka: Indeed._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Oh, thanks. Where are they?_

 _Nlgirl17: You have a niece? How's she?_

 _Tamora Calhoun: Um, okay. Don't think we'll need that help, though._

 _Antha1: No, Thaw's not dying now. We have an entire story to get through._

* * *

Elsa lay asleep in her bed, silent as she let her mind drift. Sleeping was one of the few times when the Snow Queen was truly at peace, the hardships of ruling a kingdom locked away in her subconscious.

Suddenly, a piercing scream tore Elsa out of her dreams. She shot out of bed in terror, for a moment thinking an intruder had broken into the castle. Without thinking clearly, she summoned a blast of ice to defend herself, before realizing that she was still alone.

She also realized that the screaming was coming from outside the castle.

Before she could decipher what was happening, she saw a bright flash of red and orange out of the corner of her eye. She shut her eyes and turned away from the blinding light; it felt as if the sun itself was next to her window.

Forcing her eyes open to look at the window, she saw the forest, right next to the kingdom, engulfed in a blazing red light. Elsa gasped in horror as she saw the forest, green and colorful only a few minutes ago, inundated in a giant wave of Hell fire.

"What?" The Queen whispered in horror. As the fire raged on, she whispered, _"No."_

The doors swung open, and Elsa jerked around to see Kristoff at the door, a panicked look on his face.

"The forest," He whispered in horror. "It's on fire. Everyone saw it."

Elsa nodded and turned back to the window. As she looked on, she stared through the black clouds that covered the moon itself, and through the thickness of the pitch black smog, she thought she saw a large figure, flying through it.

The figure was large, gigantic even. It looked to be the size of a massive ship. And it was red, the very colors of Hell.

Elsa stared at the figure as she swooped through the black smog and briefly vanished. Was she looking at some kind of demon?

Her question was answered when the figure finally dove out through the black smog, and Elsa saw it's form clearly.

It was a giant bird made of fire. It was the fire bird.

"The Phoenix," Elsa whispered, and her blood ran cold, cooler than the ice and snow she wielded.

* * *

Outside the castle, the forest fire had drawn attention to the very civilians who lived within the kingdom. As the fire grew, helpless commoners stirred out of their sleep, and were met with the horrific sight of a wall of fire surrounding their homes.

Screaming filled the black night as men, women and children scattered out of their homes and through the streets, trying to get as far away from the forest fire as possible. The forest was right next to the kingdom itself, and at the rate the fire was spreading, it was sure to reach the kingdom soon.

Thaw and Ander dodged through the streets, struggling to avoid the panicked civilians that ran to and fro.

"Everyone, calm down!" Thaw shouted towards them. "Stop running! We have to solve this!"

Alas, the screams and shouts drowned out Thaw's voice. The young princess was inadvertently knocked to the side, and as she looked up, she saw the giant demon of a bird soaring overhead, letting out an inhuman screech.

Thaw gaped in horror. It was nothing that she'd ever seen before.

Fighting through her own terror, Thaw shouted, "Ander! Get me to the. . . the water!"

Ander immediately scooped the princess up onto his back, and tore down the streets. Thaw reached out and grabbed a bucket before jumping off of Ander and racing towards the fire as it began to spread towards the kingdom.

Scooping up water into the bucket, the princess quickly starting throwing it onto the fire to put it out. Every two seconds, Thaw would scoop up a bucket of water from the sea, and dowse the nearest bit of fire with it.

In spite of her attempts, the fire was much to big for her to handle. She couldn't even succeed in dowsing a fraction of it.

The fire raged, as if angered by Thaw's attempts to put it out, and doubled in size. The immense heat beat the young princess back, and she stumbled onto the ground. She quickly started shuffling away as the fire spread towards her.

The fire prepared to engulf the princess, who shielded her face and let out a scream.

"No!"

Thaw uncovered her eyes, and saw her mother, father, and Elsa racing out of the kingdom towards her. Some of the other nobles dashed outside, but not nearly as quickly.

"Mother?!" Thaw shouted in shock as Anna dove towards her daughter and shielded her from the fire. Kristoff ran in and grabbed the two before pulling them out of danger.

Elsa ran in front of her family, standing tall in front of the giant wall of fire that threatened to consume the entire kingdom. The Snow Queen narrowed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and took a stance.

"Elsa!" Anna shouted out to warn her sister, but her pleads fell on deaf ears.

The fire lunged towards the Queen. As it was a mere hairs length away, Elsa drew back her left arm, and flung it forward towards the fire.

The moment her fist connected with the fire, the large flame evaporated into thin air. Snow and ice shot out of Elsa's fists and soared through the giant fire, spreading through the entire forest. Civilians stopped running and gazed in awe as, within mere moments, the Hell fire disappeared and was replaced with ice.

"Wow," Thaw whispered, her eyes glimmering.

Soon, the forest was covered in a blanket of snow, almost as if it was winter.

Elsa drew back her fist, breathing heavily as, within seconds, she extinguished the threat entirely. She wiped sweat off her forehead, still feeling the heat from her close contact with the raging fire. Exhausted, the queen collapsed onto her knees.

"Elsa!" Anna cried, releasing Thaw and racing over to tend to her elder sister. Behind her, Sven and Olaf came running, the former racing towards Ander to tend to him. The young reindeer had a burnt foot, and was walking with a limp.

"Are you okay?" Olaf asked Elsa, walking up to her with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine," Elsa said, her chest heaving. She slowly got to her feet, and gazed at the forest, now coated with snow.

"My Lord," King Andreas whispered, shocked and impressed by the feat he had just witnessed before his very eyes. The other nobles slowly got out from behind him to see if the threat was gone.

"So, this is the true power of the Snow Queen," Prince Howard whispered in awe. Elsa took no notice of them; she just continued to stare ahead.

Suddenly, everyone heard a loud screech coming from above in the skies. Looking up, everyone saw the fire bird swoop over the kingdom, circling it for a few moments.

Suddenly, Elsa tore out of Anna's grip, and unleashed a powerful burst of ice and snow at the fire bird. The red behemoth vanished into thin air before the ice blast reached it.

"It's gone," Kristoff whispered, staring up at the sky. The ice dissipated into snow, which fell down towards the kingdom.

"Elsa, what was that?" Anna asked her sister. The Queen narrowed her eyes up at the sky.

"That was the Phoenix."

* * *

After everything had been attended to, the royals gathered together within the castle gates to discuss matters.

"We have to do something!" Princess Circe cried. "I don't want to die in flames! I'd much die by being poisoned, or something painless."

"I didn't know there was a being on this planet who wielded that sort of power," King Andreas whispered, clenching his fist and raising it in front of his chest. "To plunge such a large forest into fire."

"It's a demon, it has to be," One of the dukes said. "A monster!"

Thaw raised her tiny hands to silence everyone. "Everyone, we have to keep a cool head," She told them, even though she herself was panicking inside. "This attack is getting the reaction the Phoenix wants!"

"What do you mean?" Kristoff asked.

"Well. . ." Thaw started, but one of the dukes said, "She's only a child. What does she know?"

"Let her speak!" Anna shouted, and turned back to her daughter, silently gesturing for her to continue.

"Um. . ." Thaw started, trying to think of what to see. "You see, the Phoenix wants us to be scared. That's why it attacked the forest near the kingdom. If it really wanted to attack us, it would've set Arendelle on fire, not the forest. Clearly, this Phoenix is trying to cause us to panic."

"That makes sense," King Andreas agreed. "Well, do you know what the opposite of panicking is? Keeping a straight mind!"

Turning to his guards, Andreas shouted, "Men! Get in position! Time to enact our battle chant!"

As the royals watched, King Andreas and his men all got into a circle. They pulled out their spears, stomped on the ground, and banged the butt of their spears on the ground. Then, they started to chant.

 _"Strength of one, strength of ten_

 _Power of a thousand men!_

 _Descended from beasts and powerful legions_

 _We'll secure our kingdom and every region!_

 _We shall not falter or lose our way_

 _For we will be the ones who save the day!  
_

Thaw watched as the men chanted, and turned to Queen Agni. The queen had a look of bored revulsion on her face as she watched the men conclude their ridiculous battle cry.

"Men of Iolcos, move out!" King Andreas cried, and the men took off in the direction of the forest, swords drawn and shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Stop!" Queen Agni shouted, and the men immediately stopped running. Slowly, they turned back to face the queen.

"You can't just run in there without a plan," The Queen pointed out. "You'll just leave this kingdom unguarded and thin us out. This will be what the Phoenix wants. To beat this warlord, you'll have to have a strategy."

The King looked at Agni sheepishly.

"But this has always been our strategy," The King mumbled out.

"Not today," Queen Agni said. "I don't think you've dealt with someone who controls fire, have you? So you'll have to use a different strategy."

The men of Iolcos hesitantly lowered their weapons. The King sighed and sheathed his sword, and they turned back towards the kingdom. At the same time, Anna walked up to her sister.

"Elsa, now that the Phoenix is here, what do we do?" She asked.

"I'll tell you what we won't do; panic," Elsa told her sister. "If what Thaw is saying is true, then we'll have to show this Phoenix that we're not like the other kingdoms he's destroyed. We won't bow down to a despot."

Anna smiled in relief. "Good," She said.

Elsa turned to the other royals. "I want all of you to go back inside," She told them. "I'll station a guard at all the kingdom's entrances. I'll be awake, just in case this Phoenix and his fire bird comes back."

The royals obeyed and returned to the castle. Thaw sighed, and said, "Guess it's back to the stables, then."

As she prepared to leave, a hand reached out and gripped Thaw's arm, causing her to turn around.

It was Queen Agni.

"Hey, why don't you sleep with me tonight?" The Queen asked the young princess. "It's better than the stables."

"Oh," Thaw said, a little sheepish. "Alright."

The Queen held the princess' hand as she led her into the castle. Elsa noticed, and stared at them as they vanished inside the castle, but she said nothing. She then turned back to the sky where the fire bird had been not too long ago.

The Queen sighed.

 _Conceal, don't feel._

* * *

 _Read and review._


	11. Plot

_A/N: This is to 'Time Traveling'. Because I'm nice, I'll give you a heads up: if you keep sending those time-travelling requests, they're going to be deleted on sight. If you don't want that to happen, write reviews that aren't spam._

 _TTluv19: Oh, good to see you like the characters, so far._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: You mean fire with ice._

 _Korrasami 88:...Seriously?_

 _The 379th Hero: No._

 _Strange and proud of it: Indeed._

 _GANGSTA: Okay..._

 _I am a burglar: You think?_

 _Guest: I think this is Nlgirl17 talking: Glad you like Princess Thaw._

 _Antha1: Didn't you hear Thaw? That forest fire was a scare tactic. That wasn't the Phoenix's final plan._

* * *

A hooded figure sauntered around the castle and through the streets of the kingdom silently. After the forest fire, many citizens were still awake, trying to recover lost belongings, and they didn't notice the hooded figure pass by.

The hooded figure broke away from the crowd and trudged down near the castle moat, out of sight from anyone else. The figure turned around to make sure that nobody had followed, then whispered, "You can come out, now."

Slowly, a group of shadowed men stalked out from around the moat and surrounded the hooded figure. One of them was holding onto his sword before he recognized who it was.

"Oh, it's you," The man whispered, and sheathed his sword. "What news do you bring?"

"My fire had the reaction I desired," The Phoenix said, removing the hood. "It got the Queen's attention, and I got to see her powers unleashed."

"We saw," One of the men said. "Why have you come out here, though? You're risking a lot, coming here without your mask."

"I know," The Phoenix said, putting the hood back on. "But I have an important assignment for one of you."

"What?" The men asked, intrigued.

"I saw the Queen's powers unleashed, and I know now what I'm facing," The Phoenix said. "It's a power nearly as strong as my own. It seems I cannot take this kingdom the same way I've conquered others. So, I must use a different tactic."

"What are you asking?" One of the men asked.

The Phoenix smiled. "Tomorrow, early in the morning, you are going to break into that castle and attack the Queen."

"What?!" The man in question said, his voice rising above a whisper. "But I'm a mere man! How can I kill this. . . this. . ."

"You will not," The Phoenix replied casually. "You will fail, and then you will run. You'll run all the way into the forest, and they will follow you. One of the royals of Arendelle, that is."

"But, what if we're caught?" One man questioned, conflicted. "What if they only send a guard?"

"I'll take care of that," The Phoenix reassured the men before turning around and walking away.

"Don't disappoint me," The Phoenix warned the men. "Or it won't just be you who pays dearly." Then, the Phoenix vanished into the darkness.

* * *

The next morning, Thaw woke up early in the morning, yawning loudly. Jumping out of bed, the young princess rushed to the other side of the bed, and shook the still-sleeping Queen Agni.

"Queen Agni, wake up, wake up, wake up!" The Princess said, shaking Agni.

The Queen's eyes fluttered open. "Mommy, I don't want to wear gloves. . ." She moaned, still half-asleep. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up.

"Oh, good morning, princess!" The Queen said quickly. She noticed Thaw giggling, and saw that her hair was wild and out-of-place, not unlike Anna when she woke up.

"Oops, you shouldn't see this," Agni said, pulling her down in place. Standing out of bed, the Queen put on her golden crown, saying, "It was a long night."

"For all of us," Thaw reminded the Queen. "Forest fire, remember?"

"All too clearly," Queen Agni said, frowning. "So, now that we know the Phoenix is here, we're going to have to take special precautions to make sure nobody gets hurt. Isn't that right, Princess Thaw?"

"Yes," Thaw agreed, saluting Agni.

The Queen smiled.

* * *

An hour later, all the nobles were gathered in the courtroom again. This time, the royals looked more nervous and serious; a result of the knowledge that the feared warlord was in Arendelle.

Elsa was seated away from the other royals, watching them as they bantered with each other.

"This is much worse than we thought!" King Andreas declared. "We no longer have the advantage of advanced planning, now that this madman is here, waiting to strike!"

"Did any of you see that demonic fire bird?!" The Duke of Hesse asked. "It was unreal! I have never seen something like that in my life!"

"We're all going to die!" Princess Circe cried out. "I'm too young to get burned to death!"

At this point, Elsa felt the need to speak up. "Everyone, calm down!" She shouted, and everyone immediately went silent.

"We're not going to accomplish anything by acting like scared little children," Elsa explained to them. "The best course of action is to be rational and keep a cool head."

From one side of the table, a voice chuckled, "Heh-heh. Keep a 'cool' head."

Elsa sighed deeply.

Thaw, who was sitting next to Queen Agni, suggested, "Maybe we should double the guards, and check every possible entrance to the kingdom."

"That's a great idea," Queen Agni agreed. "What do you say, Queen Elsa?"

Elsa bit her lip, staring at her niece. "I'll. . . consider it," She said. Thaw let out a sigh of relief.

"I do hope you can deal with this," Agni told the Snow Queen, and her face fell. "In Arcturus, my late father called it the Kingdom of Peace and Prosperity. I don't want my people to come under the reigns of oppression."

"None of us do," Prince Howard agreed.

Elsa grumbled in her throat, and tapped her fingers on the table. She looked into everybody's weary eyes.

She didn't want to let them down.

"I'll make sure that nobody ever has to fear tyranny ever again," Queen Elsa declared, standing up tall. "Not by a warlord who controls the elements of fire, nor any other warmonger. Nobody has the right to be oppressed, or to take advantage of their own power and use it to persecute the weak! These are evil monsters that have no place in this world!"

"I'll follow those words to my grave!" King Andreas declared, slamming his fist on the table in passionate agreement. The other nobles shouted out in consensus.

Thaw remained silent, and continued to sit in her chair. Her gaze wandered, and she noticed one of the guards standing by the door. She squinted her eyes at him in confusion.

"Mommy," She whispered to Anna, who was also sitting down. "I don't recognize that guard." She pointed in the guard's direction.

"I bet it's just a new recruit," Anna reassured her daughter. As she continued to stare at the guard, her smile vanished as she, too, realized that she had never seen that guard before.

While the royals continued talking, the 'guard' slowly stalked into the room, a dark expression on his face. Thaw and Anna both watched him suspiciously as he approached the table.

Specifically, he was approaching Elsa.

Thaw noticed that the man looked to be holding something in his hand. She stared hard at it, and as the man raised his hand, she finally saw it.

The man was holding a dagger. Thaw's eyes widened in horror.

"Elsa!" She shouted out in warning, causing all eyes to turn to the Queen. Gasps of horror arose, and several royals pointed to behind the Queen as they all saw the 'guard' raise his hand, wielding the arm.

Elsa was the last one to turn around. All she saw was a silver dagger, aimed right at her.

She screamed.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	12. A Threat

_Korrasami 88: Oh? In what way?_

 _Guest: Is this "Strife Reviewer" talker? If it isn't, sorry. Anyways, why would I kill Elsa off this early in?_

 _The 379th Hero: Good idea._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Gee, I wonder..._

 _I am a burglar: Finally, you're stealing habits come in handy._

 _Miaka: First of all, thank you for taking the time to review every chapter. Anyways, haven't we all had that moment when we say something odd in our sleep?_

 _Nlgirl17: We're beginning to enter the next phase of the plot._

 _Antha1: Taking a hostage isn't part of the Phoenix's plan._

* * *

The first thing Elsa saw was the knife. A crude blade with a chipped edge, glimmering with bright silver, lowering itself towards her.

She could hear the surprised and horrified shouting coming from behind her as the guard - no, this impostor - pulled his hand wielding the deadly weapon down upon the Queen. She could see a darkness in his eyes, a soullessness she'd never seen before.

It was almost as if time itself was slowing down. The blade was moving slowly, allowing Elsa to study its details. The screaming and shouting was mentally blocked out of her mind as she took focus.

Right now, it was her life on the line.

Then, with an explosion of energy, time returned with vivacity. Elsa quickly drew her arm up over her head, and a blast of ice drew out of the ground itself, creating a barrier between her and her assailant.

"Elsa!" Anna shouted from behind her, but Elsa took no notice.

The man, whoever he was, drew his knife back before it could get embedded in the ice wall. For a second, he stood still, his knife lowered as he gazed in awe at the ice wall conjured out of the ground. It appeared, Elsa thought, that seeing magic up close was quite bewitching.

It was none other than Flint himself who broke the tension. Dashing through the door and towards the assailant, he quickly grabbed the man by his wrist, causing him to drop the knife. Twisting his arm behind his back, Flint slammed the man onto the ground with force.

Riveted by this act of strength, the Duke of Hesse sprang off the chair, shouting, "I'm next!" Before somersaulting over the table and towards the man.

The sound of a fist slamming into someone's face, impacted with the sound of a nose cracking, reverberated throughout the castle.

All the nobles still seated instinctively leaned back into their chairs as the scrawny Duke of Hesse went soaring back over the table. Everyone flinched as the Duke's head crashed through the wall.

"Ooh," Kristoff said, feeling the man's pain right now.

"I'm okay," The Duke said right before his body went limp.

The man stood up, shaking his hand. He pointed at the broken wall and said, "You should probably get that fixed," Before taking off through the door and down the hallways.

"Hey!" Anna shouted, and took off running towards the door, but was held back by Flint.

"No, princess," Flint told her. "You'll only get hurt!"

"But he's getting away!" Anna shouted, thrashing in the man's strong hands.

Elsa, after getting over the initial surprise of the suddenness of what had happened, said, "Guards! Follow that man!"

Thaw, who had been silent throughout the whole ideal, ran to the window, and her eyes widened as she saw the man already at the castle gates, bolting into the village and pass all the commoners.

"Hey, he's getting away!" She shouted, pointing out the window. Quickly, all of the nobles rushed towards the window, and their jaws dropped as they saw the man run as if his family's life depended on it.

"How'd he get outside so fast?!" King Andreas shouted in disbelief.

"How'd he get inside?" Elsa asked. That, in her mind, was more important than anything else.

The nobles could only watch as the man raced into the forest overlooking the kingdom, and vanished into the wilderness. Soon, he was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

After the wildfire of events had been extinguished, Elsa had instantly ordered all the guards to start combing the grounds for her attempted assassin. And in case you were wondering, her consideration of Thaw's advice to double the guards, to put it bluntly, was no longer a consideration.

After that had been taken care of, Elsa had vanished into her room, and summoned Kai to talk with her. He seemed like the only one she could have a proper conversation to about this matter.

"I don't understand," Elsa said to the old servant. "How did that. . . that _assassin_ get into the castle. How'd he get that disguise?"

Kai thought deeply, than said, "Maybe one of the guard's got drunk again and left his costume lying around. Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened. Remember when you were five and Guard Froth -"

"Hey, you swore you'd never mention that again!" Elsa shouted as unpleasant memories resurfaced. Kai put up his arms in defense.

"That still doesn't explain how he got inside the castle," Elsa pointed out. Before Kai could respond, the doors opened, and Anna and Kristoff walked in.

"Anna -" Elsa started, but Anna raised her hand.

"So, while you were upstairs, me and my husband made a mutual agreement on what to do," Anna said, her arms locked with Kristoff. The two smiled and nodded.

"Oh frostbite - I mean, go on," Elsa replied.

"Well, King Andreas said that he and his men are going after that man," Anna explained to her sister. "Princess Thaw, who you must thank for being so observant, said that, based on where that man was last seen running, he would be going in the direction of the Valley of the Living Rock."

"Yes?" Elsa said, feeling there was more.

"We're joining him," Anna said bluntly.

"What!" Elsa shouted, and Anna and Kristoff felt the temperature drop a bit.

"Yeah, we're coming," Kristoff said, shrugging.

Elsa's eye twitched. "But, the Phoenix. . . and the fire bird. . . are you two crazy?!" She asked them. She then added, "Don't answer that."

"Well, since we've been through that forest before," Anna reminded Elsa. "We felt it'd be only just to guide the newcomers who aren't familiar with our directions."

"Anna," Elsa started through gritted teeth.

"Come on," Anna said, blowing her sister off. "Now that we're out of the castle, you can bond with Thaw now. Isn't that great?"

"Wait, what?" Elsa asked, as realization sunk in. Anna and Kristoff saw the look on her face, and realized that they didn't have much time.

"So, uh. . . bye," Anna said, and she and Kristoff dashed out of the room as quickly as they had entered.

Elsa stared at the open doors where Anna and Kristoff were standing, and then she turned to Kai. "What just happened?"

"I think that was the Queen of Arendelle getting served," Kai said casually.

* * *

Within the Valley of the Living Rock, a group of large, burly men strode into the valley, unlit torches in their hands.

They're destination: the trolls.

Soon, the men stopped at the valley, which was surrounded by dozens of rocks. One man strode up to the leader, and asked, "Is this the place?"

"The Phoenix said it was," The leader of the men whispered. He stared off at the valley, and shouted out, "Hello? Is anyone here?"

The men immediately hid their torches, awaiting for the trolls to appear. For a few moments there was silence. Then, rocks shifted and tumbled down the hills overlooking the valley, rolling towards the men. A few of the men stumbled a bit in surprise, but the leader raised a hand, silently warning them to stay still.

One by one, the large rocks shook and morphed into diminutive trolls. A few men gasped in shock, but they didn't say anything.

The trolls whispered among themselves as they stared at the strange group of men. Indeed, they looked nothing like the citizens of Arendelle.

One rock, larger than the others, rolled to the front of the crowd and unraveled.

Grand Pabbie.

The leader of the men bowed down before the elderly troll. "Greetings, trolls," The man whispered, and then got to his feet, towering above the trolls.

"What have you come for?" Grand Pabbie questioned warmly. The men may not look familiar, but he didn't let it show. The trolls would treat anyone who came to their abode with respect.

"I take it that you are the leader of the trolls?" The leader of the men asked, a sly grin on his face.

"I am Grand Pabbie," The shaman confirmed. "Is there trouble?"

"No," The leader said. "We were sent here to deliver a message from our leader."

"What?" Grand Pabbie asked. Now, he he was mystified.

The leader of the men reached into his coat, and pulled out a black, unlit torch. "Our leader wants you to know that you and the Snow Queen are not the only ones who possess magic," He said, raising the torch. As he did, the other men pulled out their own torches as well. Seeing this, the trolls all stepped back.

"The mighty Phoenix wants to ensure that you will not provide help the dogs of Arendelle," The leader of the men said. "Thus, we have come to carry out the commands of our master."

Suddenly, all the torches went ablaze with fire. The leader of the men drew back his arm, and hurled the burning torch into the crowd of trolls. Dozens of terrified trolls fled as the torch landed on the grass, setting the ground ablaze.

The trolls screamed and ran as the men took off into the crowds, torches blazing.

"Get them all!" The leader of the men shouted. "We shall rid Arendelle of these beasts. For our master! For the Phoenix!"

"For the Phoenix!"

* * *

 _Read and review._


	13. Into The Woods

_Al Drin Hoshizora: Good to see you enjoyed Kai's portrayal._

 _Korrasami 88: Indeed._

 _The 379th Hero: What?_

 _Miaka: Refer to what I said to Al Drin Hoshizora above._

 _Nlgirl17: Sure thing._

 _Antha1: Flint is Agni's bodyguard. And weren't you paying attention? Flint didn't punch out the Duke; the assassin did._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: He wasn't planning to kill her anyways._

 _I am a burglar: Fine._

* * *

A short time later, King Andreas was riding his large horse with a group of his men by his side in the center of the village, awaiting for when it was time to leave.

"So, you can guide us through the forests?" He asked Anna for confirmation. The princess nodded.

"Yes," Kristoff spoke. "I've spent my whole life in these forests. I know it like the back of my hand."

"Jolly good news, then," Andreas said, reigning his horse. "We shouldn't have much trouble catching up to that assassin. And when we find him, we'll catch him and make him squeal!"

"You mean like your mom?" One of his soldiers asked with a smirk.

"Shut your noggin'!" Andreas snapped at him. "Anyways, let's ride!"

Before they could leave, Thaw ran up towards her parents.

"Mom, dad, do you really have to go?" She asked, wringing her hands together. "If you do, I'll be all alone in that castle."

"Nonsense, Thaw," Kristoff reassured. "You'll have Olaf."

"Actually, I'm coming, too," The little snowman suddenly said, popping up onto Sven's back along with the husband and wife.

"Oh," Kristoff said, and shifted his eyes. "Well, you'll have those royals to be noble with? Won't that be fun?"

Thaw blinked, then turned to stare at the nobles. She then turned back to her parents and said, desperate, "PLEASE let me come!"

"No can do," Anna said, shaking her head. "You have to stay here with Elsa. But hey, that means you two can bond while we're gone, right? Won't that be fun?'

Thaw's eyes widened. "Wait, _what_?" She asked, and she then narrowed her eyes at her parents.

Anna and Kristoff both paled. "So, uh. . . bye," They both said, and with that, they rode off with Andreas on Sven's back.

"Mom!" Thaw shouted angrily as her parents, along with the soldiers, vanished into the forest out of sight. The moment they were gone, the princess groaned, and turned back to the royals. She cautiously approached them to hear what they were saying.

"I tell you, the next time I see that assassin, I won't go that easy on him!" The Duke of Hesse boasted.

"Ooh, what are you going to do?" Prince Howard asked sarcastically. "Hit his fist with your face again?"

"I was just holding back that time!" The Duke claimed, even as the other nobles laughed heartily at him.

Princess Thaw groaned. She definitely wasn't going to have any fun relations with them. She strode past them and walked towards the castle gates, to see if Elsa was worth talking to. Or maybe Queen Agni.

* * *

Elsa sat in her room, pouting.

 _Anna and Kristoff didn't leave to guide King Andreas,_ She thought bitterly. _They wanted to shove their daughter on me and force me to take care of her. What a stinker, my sister is._

"So, this is what getting served feels like?" She said, and got out of her bed. "Well, I'll show them! I'll show them that you can't serve the Queen of Arendelle!"

"Who are you talking you?"

It took Elsa a mere two seconds to realize that it was none other than her young niece speaking. She inwardly grumbled, and turned around to face the eight year old girl.

Thaw looked so different, Elsa noticed. Usually, she was dressed up like a woodsman, but now, she was in her actual princess attire. Elsa didn't understand; a princess was what she wanted from Thaw, and yet it seemed so unnatural seeing her like this.

Shaking off the feeling, Elsa said, "So, your parents are gone for the time being. Looking for that assassin for questioning."

"I know," Thaw said, stretching her princess collar. She was evidently uncomfortable wearing it. "So, what are you going to do about this Phoenix character?"

"I'm working on it," Elsa reassured her niece. "The nobles and I should be able to come up with a good enough battle strategy for when this Phoenix decides to attack."

"Can I join in?" Thaw asked hopefully.

"Uh," Elsa said, skeptical. "Princess Thaw, I think this is stuff the 'grownups' should deal with. Not you."

"But-"

"No buts, Thaw," Elsa cut her off. "You're too young to have to deal with all of this. Politics, trade regulations, threats. . . these are things you'll deal with when you're older."

"But I thought you wanted me to be a princess?" Thaw reminded her aunt. "In that case, I should learn these things as young as I can, so I'm prepared."

Elsa sighed. "Indeed, princess," She whispered. "But not at the moment. For now, do as I say. Your parents aren't here now; I am. So you listen to me. Understood?"

Thaw breathed heavily. Glaring at her aunt, she said, through gritted teeth, "Understood, Elsa." Then, with a flick of her gown, the princess vanished from the room.

Elsa watched her niece leave.

As she did, she faintly noted that Thaw hadn't called her Auntie Elsa.

* * *

On the outskirts of the kingdom, the Phoenix sat on top of a tree branch, unmasked, watching in the distance as King Andreas, his men, and Anna and Kristoff rode off into the forest in the opposite direction.

The Phoenix heard the sounds of horses clip-clopping coming from below, and looked down to see two men arrive on their horses. They stared up at the Phoenix, smiling.

"They took the bait," One of the men said with a grin. It was the man who had faked the assassination attempt on Queen Elsa. "They're setting off towards the Valley of the Living Rock, just as you wanted."

"Good," The Phoenix said, and a grin formed on the warlord's face. "Didn't expect that lousy King Andreas to be coming, but he's a welcomed bonus." Jumping off from the tree, the Phoenix landed on the ground in front of the men.

"And those trolls?" The warlord asked, tugging on a strand of brown hair. "What about them?"

"The rest of the men have found their valley, all due to you," The other man informed the Phoenix, nodding. "Once they've killed their leader, the rest will stand no chance. We'll cage them like the disgusting beasts they are."

The Phoenix grinned, then turned to face the castle far ahead.

"Soon, that castle will be mine," The warlord whispered. Turning back to the messengers, the Phoenix said, "Go back to the valley and tell the men that the princess and her husband are coming! I'll attend to other matters."

With that, the Phoenix vanished into the forest, leaving the men to carry our their leader's orders.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	14. Tears of Ice

_Al Drin Hoshizora: I think Thaw's the most grownup person in this situation, honestly._

 _Guest: Oh-ho-ho, how original. Bet you put a lot of thought into that comment. What are you, five?_

 _Korrasami 88: Not quite._

 _GANGSTA:...Okay._

 _I am a burglar: Not a chance._

 _The 379th Hero: No._

 _Antha1: Of course the Phoenix knows about Grand Pabbie's powers. That's why the Phoenix sent those men after him in the first place._

 _Miaka: Those things will be explained._

 _Nlgirl17: Thank you._

* * *

The moment she was out of Elsa's range of vision, Thaw had discarded her princess clothing and quickly donned her conventional ice harvester clothing.

The young girl breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the familiar feeling of her dark tunic and fur-lined burgundy collar clothe her. It was a vast improvement from her princess attire; she felt like she was going to pass out if she wore that tight dress any longer.

After ditching her outfit, Thaw quickly rushed out of the castle grounds. As she did, she made a mental note not to talk to her aunt until her parents returned to the kingdom. And since she knew she wouldn't get along with the older royals, the only person she could think of interacting with was Ander.

Luckily, the reindeer was nearby by the time she left the castle. The two wandered through the lonely village, with only each other as company.

"I should have known Elsa wouldn't understand," Thaw said bitterly, her arms crossed. "Well, in that case, I'm just not going to talk to her at all. If that's what she wants, then so be it!"

Ander neighed softly when he noticed cold tears streaming down Thaw's cheeks. He softly rubbed against Thaw's body, and the princess rested her hand on the reindeer's head.

As they walked, Thaw felt the wind get a little chilly. She remembered that the forest was still coated in snow after Elsa's counterattack against the forest fire, and it appeared that the breeze was blowing towards the kingdom.

Thaw blew a chilly breath, and rushed over to a familiar workshop nearby: Oaken's Cloaken's And Sauna.

"Hey, open up!" She shouted, banging on the wooden door. "I'm freezing up out here."

Within a few seconds, the familiar face of Oaken appeared at the workshop. His trademark smile on his face, the large man said, "Hoo-hoo. Big winter blowout, yeah."

". . . Yeah," Thaw said, scratching her head. "Anyways, do you have something to wear? A coat, maybe?"

"I have a bunad, a cloak, and a winter sled of my own invention," Oaken proudly proclaimed, drawing attention from nearby bystanders.

"Ooh, how much does it cost?" Thaw asked, her eyes glittering. "The sled, that is."

"That'll be 60," The shopkeeper said, a bright smile on his face.

Thaw's eyes stopped glittering as she remembered she didn't have any money. "But. . . I'm a princess."

"No can do," Oaken said bluntly, shaking his head.

"Um. . ." Thaw then remembered that she always held onto her dad's 10 dollars. Pulling out the measly amount of cash, she said, "How about this?"

"Then you'll have the bunad and no more," Oaken advised, shoving the winter wear over to Thaw. The princess stepped onto her tip-toes to get a look at the bunad, and saw that it was much too big for her.

"Don't you have a dress my size?" The princess asked.

"There's the winter cloak," Oaken pointed out. "That will be 40."

Thaw would've swore, but she didn't know any curse words.

Suddenly, a hand slapped down on the counter with 50 dollars in it. Thaw jumped in surprise before she saw that it was none other than Queen Agni.

"I'll have the bunad," The Queen said, slipping the winter wear over her dress. "Oh, and the winter cloak, too." She look down to Thaw, and winked at the young princess.

"Real howler in December, hoo-hoo," Oaken said as the queen and the princess left the workshop with their new winter wear.

"So, what are you doing out here?" Agni asked the princess as they walked through the village. "Shouldn't you be with your aunt?"

"My aunt has. . . grownup work to attend to," Thaw said, looking to the ground that she was treading upon. "You know, being Queen and all." Agni nodded understandingly.

"Being Queen is tough business," Agni pointed out to Thaw. "I should know. When my father died, he passed the title of Ruler of Arcturus down to me. I think I was 22. It was a big change."

"Aw, it's sad your dad died," Thaw said, nodding in empathy. "But I bet he's watching over you in heaven. My mother told me, 'When someone you love is gone, they don't truly leave. They just make their home in your heart'."

"Aw, your mom would make a lovely poet," Agni complimented. "Must be nice having a mother."

Thaw looked up at the queen, and smiled.

* * *

Within the confines of her room, Elsa stared at her reflection in the mirror, an un-confident look in her eyes.

Whenever Elsa stared at herself in the mirror, she was always forced to ask: _Who was she?_

Was she the Queen of Arendelle? A sister? An aunt? A protector? A _monster_?

As dubious as it sounded, Elsa was almost relieved at the existence of the Phoenix. At least this person's presence proved that Elsa wasn't the only one in the world with such strange powers. For a moment, she wondered what other people out in the great wide world possessed their own unique abilities.

Elsa shook the thought out of her head. She couldn't be thinking of that right now. She had to focus on protecting her kingdom.

Then, a new thought entered her mind.

Thaw.

A part of her regretted the way she had acted towards her niece not so long ago. She remembered the look on Thaw's face before she left.

Maybe she was a monster. Just not because of her powers.

* * *

Flint stormed down the hallways, his eyes heavy and his head lowered. His dark hair was matted against his forehead with sweat. His large shoulders were slumped at his sides.

He stopped when he noticed Prince Howard standing alone in the hallway, admiring a portrait of the royal family.

"What are you doing here, prince?" Flint asked, striding up to the younger man.

Howard turned to face Flint. "Just admiring the artique," He said, brushing his hair. "You must admit, this is a beautiful castle."

Flint briefly diverted his view to the portrait. "Never one for art," The guard said, cracking his neck. "My father said that was my worst subject as a lad."

Prince Howard turned to stare at him. "You should learn to appreciate it," The prince said to the guard. "I doubt you've ever lived in a castle as wonderful as this, haven't you?"

The guard said nothing. The prince shrugged his shoulders, then walked off down the hallways, leaving the guard alone.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	15. Torched Hearts

_Korrasami 88: Really? Who could've guessed that._

 _Antha1: Howard said that because Flint isn't royalty. And he's an idiot._

 _Miaka: Glad to see you like her._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: No._

 _The 379th Hero: Yeah, you can let yourself out._

 _I am a burglar: That will be 40._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: I don't know._

 _Nlgirl17: I... didn't notice that. Thanks for you noticing, though._

* * *

Ever since they'd set off to the Valley of the Living Rock, Anna and Kristoff, along with Andreas and his men, had headed straight for the valley of the trolls.

"So, you say there are trolls around here?" King Andreas asked as he examined the area. "Odd. I thought they lived under bridges."

Kristoff slowly turned around to glare at Andreas, offended. The king noticed his stare, and said, "What? That's where they live where I'm from."

Kristoff turned back around, and said, "Anyways, we should be close by now. Any minute, now."

"So, uh, are these trolls green?" One soldier asked.

"No," Kristoff said bluntly.

"Do they like to annoy people?"

"No!"

"Do they eat goat?"

"Uh. . . Hey, look, we're here!" Kristoff announced as they arrived near the trolls valley. Kristoff, Anna and Olaf jumped off of Olaf, while Andreas and their men unmounted their horses to follow them.

"Okay, so when we meet them, I want everyone to be on their best behavior," Kristoff advised the men. "You may not believe what you're seeing."

"Oh, really?" Andreas asked, stomping after him. "So, where are they?" He asked, folding his arms.

Kristoff looked around the valley. "They should be coming out soon," He said to the men. "It sometimes takes a while though. Be patient."

Olaf sniffed the air. "Hey, it seems your family liked barbecue, Kristoff," He noted. "I can smell it all the way from here."

"What?" Kristoff asked, staring down at the snowman. "No, they hate barbecue. They much prefer. . . hey, do you smell smoke?"

"K-Kristoff?" Anna whispered, shaking her husband's arm. The ice harvester looked off in the direction of the trolls valley, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bright yellow light coming from the area the trolls lived.

"No," He whispered faintly. Dropping everything, Kristoff tore off towards the valley on a frenzied panic. The soldiers behind him watched on in awe, surprised that the man could run so fast.

"Kristoff, wait up!" Anna shouted, running after him. She wasn't anywhere near as fast as him, though.

"Pabbie! Bulda!" Kristoff shouted out as he entered the valley. He froze in place, however, when he reached the valley.

The valley had been turned a hellish red, engulfed in flames. The once lush, green forestry had been utterly destroyed by the fires that had immersed it. The scorching heat was so powerful that Kristoff had to take several steps away to avoid the heat.

Anna caught up to Kristoff, and her blue eyes widened in horror. "What happened here?" She whispered, covering her mouth.

Kristoff had no response. He pulled on his hair, and broke down onto his knees as he watched his former home burnt away into ashes and cinders. Olaf and Sven arrived, and even the normally happy snowman's smile turned into a horrified frown.

"Where are the trolls?" Andreas asked as he stormed up after them.

"They're not here," Anna explained to the men. "They might've escaped."

"Or they were captured," Kristoff said bitterly. "By that monstrous Phoenix! This is all his doing!"

"Kristoff-"

"He must've attacked the trolls because of their magic!" Kristoff said angrily, getting up. "He knew what Grand Pabbie's magic could do, so he set out to eliminate them as a threat. Now they're all gone."

Anna, seeking to console her husband, whispered, "They're not here. There's no evidence that they're here. Maybe they've escaped."

Kristoff looked to his wife, a grief-stricken look in his eyes. He let out a sigh, and straightened up, trying to keep calm.

"Alright, we have to get back to Arendelle," Anna explained to the men. "We've got to tell Queen Elsa about this."

"Indeed," King Andreas agreed with her. "Then, we can come back with a true army! Now, let's get moving!" With that, the group turned, and set off out of the valley.

As they did, they didn't notice a man standing on a hill, concealed by trees.

The man grinned, and turned away to relay the news to the others.

* * *

At the frozen lake, Thaw and the group of ice harvesters were busy loading up ice out of the lake. The princess noted that they weren't singing at the moment.

Standing at the side, Queen Agni watched as Thaw helped the men load up a large block of ice onto the sled. The young princess nearly slipped on the ice, but Agni reached out and steadied her.

"You know, you didn't have to come," Thaw said to the Queen. "It is freezing up here."

"Oh, I don't mind," Agni brushed off the Princess' concerns. She helped load an ice block onto the sled. Behind her, Christian was staring at the Queen. One of the men noticed and nudged him, and the ice harvester snapped out of it and got back to loading ice.

"So, how do you think your aunt is handling this threat?" Agni asked. "She seemed kind of stressed out."

"Oh, she'll handle it," Thaw reassured the Queen. "She's Elsa. She's the Snow Queen. She'll be able to deal with this thing."

"I hope so," Agni said, nodding. "Or else we're all doomed."

Thaw frowned, and looked away. "I wish I could help her," The princess whispered, lowering her ice gaff.

Agni frowned. "Well, why don't you?" She asked, confused.

"Elsa says that's for the grownups to handle," Thaw mumbled, crossing her arms and pouting. "She says I'm not ready."

"Oh, nonsense," Agni said, putting her hands on her hips. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You're the smartest child I've ever seen."

Thaw looked up at Agni, still frowning. "Really?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Agni put a hand on the princess' shoulder. "Indeed, Thaw," She consoled her. "In fact, why don't we go back to your aunt, and tell her how 'ready' you really are."

A smile formed on the princess' lips. "Really?!" She asked, ecstatic.

"Yes," Agni said, a warm smile on her lips. "Now, what are we waiting around here for. Let's get moving."

Thaw covered her mouth to keep from letting out an excited squeal, and she ran after the Queen as they headed towards the kingdom.

* * *

 _Read and review. Also, sorry if the chapters are a little shorter at the moment. They'll become longer later._


	16. Fortune's Fool

_The 379th Hero: Don't push me._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Okay..._

 _Strange and proud of it: Okay._

 _Nlgirl17: Oh, glad you like her._

 _Korrasami 88: Literally._

 _Miaka: You'll find out._

 _KayKay the Demigod: Hooray..._

 _I am a burglar: Are you going to sell that?_

 _Antha1: Well, those guys did burn down their home. Also, saying Agni's acting like Thaw's grandmother is a little odd considering she's around Elsa's age._

 _Hi: Not really._

* * *

After his job at transporting ice was done, Christian had somberly returned home, feeling an empty, dark pit in his stomach, only filled with guilt. Ever since his unexpected meeting with the Phoenix, the choice weighed over him was heavier than the ice he was forced to carry.

When the ice harvester had returned home, he lumbered past his wife and children and slumped down on the nearest chair, feeling a powerful and overwhelming headache that pounded his head with such force that it felt like his skull would be torn apart.

He didn't know how long he was alone, his thoughts being his only company. He must have looked like a granite statue, what with his stony look and icy skin. His family, the ones he loved most, could hardly comfort him.

"Christian."

Christian faintly heard the sound of his wife, Diane. Slowly, the man stood out of his chair, and took a deep sigh.

"I-I don't know what to do," He confessed to his wife, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "What can I do?"

"We have to warn the crown," Diane said to her husband. "Before those men attack."

"You heard them," Christian reminded his wife, pacing a bit. "They'll kill our children if we tell anyone."

Diane approached him, resting her hands on his shoulders. "If we don't do this, innocent people will die," She told him. "You know that."

Christian turned away from his wife's gaze. Indeed, he knew she was right. He'd heard the stories of how the terrifying Phoenix had razed entire kingdoms and murdered their leaders without a second thought. And now, this threat had come to Arendelle.

"You knew that person once," Diane said, placing her hand on her husband's cheek, and turning his face so that he would look at her. "But you hardly ever spoke of 'em."

Christian sighed deeply. "I remember when I was just a lad," He said, nodding slowly. "My father brought home this small, timid child, about my age. Said he found the poor thing lost in the woods, and couldn't abandon it to starve to death."

"What was that child like?" Diane asked her husband.

"We were siblings in everything but blood," Christian reminisced, and he almost smiled. "We played and laughed. The kid was strange, but a friend."

Christian sighed, and then said, "Before long, we found out that the child was harboring a secret. The child could control fire."

Diane's eyes almost glimmered. "Did you tell anyone?" She asked.

"No," Christian said, looking aghast. "We knew that if anyone found out, they'd think that the child was some kind of monster. So we protected 'em. Made sure nobody else knew."

Christian's eyes darkened, and then he whispered, "One day, when we were old enough, my friend decided to go off and explore the seas. After that, we never heard from 'em again. Until now."

Christian broke away from his wife's hold, and sat back down. "It's funny," He said. "For so long, I wanted to see my friend and kin again. Now, my friend has returned, and is threatening to kill the queen."

"Then we must do something," Diane implored to her husband. "We must stop this Phoenix."

"I know," Christian said, nodding slowly.

But mentally, he added, _But at what cost?_

* * *

Elsa watched from out her window as her niece returned to the kingdom, Agni in hand.

The Queen had been gathering up the courage to go up to Thaw and have a normal conversation with her niece for once. The thought gave her anxiety, but it was the right thing to do.

It was what Anna and Kristoff wanted. It was what her parents would've wanted.

Holding herself high, Elsa exited her lonely room, and was surprised when she bumped into a strong arm. She was so showed by the suddenness that she nearly fell backwards, only to be caught by two strong hands.

Elsa's blue eyes widened in shock. It was Flint.

"What are you doing here?" The Queen asked as she was pulled to her feet by the large man.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Flint asked, releasing the Queen and brushing off his armor casually. "You looked rather nervous."

"I'm. . . not," Elsa denied, pulling a stray strand of hair out of her face. "It's just, my niece is back, and I wanted to come and greet her."

Flint nodded understandingly, and actually smiled. "Indeed," He said, putting his hands on his hands. "I have a daughter back in Arcturus. I cannot wait to return so I can see her again."

Elsa nodded, and smiled.

Then, Flint frowned. "It's been quite some time since I've last seen her," He admitted, closing his eyes and lowering his head. "But she means the world to me. I'd do _anything_ to make sure she's safe."

Elsa gulped, and nodded. "Okay then," She said. "Well, I guess we should be seeing my niece, then."

Flint opened his eyes. "Yes," He agreed.

* * *

When Elsa had made her way to the courtroom, she saw all the royals there already. She noticed Agni sitting in her seat, and kindly requested that she get off.

"Auntie Elsa!" Thaw said to her aunt, unexpectedly throwing her arms around Elsa's waist. "I'm so happy to see you. I've been talking with Agni, and we're going to form a plan to protect our kingdom."

Elsa glanced at Agni, then to her niece. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Okay Thaw. What do you propose?"

Thaw's eyes sparkled, and she said, "Well. . . I suggested to Agni that we increase the guards, and cover every area of the kingdom and the forest to find out where the Phoenix is, because he must be somewhere around the kingdom or the landscape surrounding it. We'll set a navy to search the seas around the island, and once we find the location of the Phoenix, we'll send a signal to attract the attention of the rest of the flotilla, and we'll go there and surround that area and his navy."

Elsa, and the rest of the nobles, were speechless. "R-Really, now?" She said. "That's. . . clever."

"I came up with the idea while stuffing some chocolate in my mouth," Thaw admitted, and it was then that Elsa noticed dark crumbs around the princess' mouth.

"Hey, I have an objection," The Duke of Hesse said, raising his hand. "Doesn't the Phoenix have fire powers. What if he uses them when we go to get him?"

Thaw shrugged, and said, "Me and Agni were talking about that. So. . . Agni wants you, Elsa, to practice your ice powers for combat."

"Me?!" Elsa shouted, flabbergasted. Behind her, Flint narrowed his eyes.

"You're the only one with the power to match the Phoenix," Agni reminded the Queen. "But if you can't use the powers to defend the kingdom, how will you be able to be a match for him when the time comes?"

"But, I've hardly ever used my powers to hurt people," Elsa pointed out. "At least, not on purpose."

"You're Queen," Agni said, standing up from her chair. "You have to make the right decisions. For your sister. For Thaw."

Elsa looked down. "Well, I. . ." She trailed off, and she looked to Thaw.

"You can do it," The princess urged her aunt.

Elsa closed her eyes, and inhaled. She let out a deep breath, and opened her eyes. She turned to Agni.

"Where do I start?"

* * *

Far off in the forest, the traveling party could see the kingdom in their sights. It wouldn't be long before they returned and relayed the news to Elsa.

Riding on Sven, Anna noticed Kristoff's forlorn expression on his face. He hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the trolls' destroyed home. She could tell he was still pained by the loss of his family.

"Kristoff," She whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, Anna?" Kristoff whispered, turning to face his wife.

"I know it's hard that your family is missing," Anna whispered into his ear. "But we'll find them and make sure they're okay. But first, we have to go back to the kingdom."

"I know," Kristoff admitted. "But what if they're not missing. What if the Phoenix killed them."

"The trolls are strong," Anna consoled her husband. "They'd have found a way to make it out alive."

Kristoff smiled a bit, but it vanished after a moment. Behind them, Olaf said, "Besides, rocks don't burn. Do they?"

In front of them, Andreas' horse began to inexplicably neigh and jerk to the side. The king tried to steady his horse, saying, "Snap out of it, Ramsay. We're almost at the kingdom." Despite this, the horse stamped its hooves on the ground, and brayed, agitated.

"What's gotten into you?" The king asked, and shifted his eyes from side to side.

Before long, he got his answer.

An arrow, it's tip lit with fire, was flung through the dark woods and towards the king and his horse. Andreas saw it coming, and ducked, causing the arrow to zip over his head and pierce a nearby tree.

King Andreas raised his head, his eyes flaming. "We're under attack! Men, get in position!" He leaped off his horse and landed on the ground.

Quickly, the men got off their horses, and they all got in a circle.

 _"Strength of one, strength of ten_

 _Power of a thousand-_

"No time for that!" King Andreas interrupted, pulling out his sword and shield. "Time to fight!" Quickly, the men pulled out their weapons to await the ambush.

"Oh, no," Kristoff whispered, and ducked, Anna following suit.

"So, are we having barbecue now?" Olaf asked, oblivious.

As the men awaited for their assailants to appear out of the shadows, they heard the sound of a battle cry, ringing from all directions. The men got in formation, prepared for an attack.

For a moment, they saw nobody.

Then, out of the shadows, dark figures surged out of the forest, swords and spears lit with fire as they charged at the travelling party, shouting out in anger. The men saw them, and they ran off to do battle.

Andreas spun around, his sword raised.

"Attack!" He shouted.

Behind them, Kristoff shut his eyes and said, "We are so doomed."

* * *

 _Read and review._


	17. Ambush

_Korrasami 88: Hurry and do what?_

 _The 379th Hero: That they're doomed?_

 _Miaka: Yeah, I didn't want Elsa to seem like a jerk._

 _Guest:...Don't talk to me like that, first of all. Second, I'm pretty sure this is 'strife' reviewer, so: what did I screw up, exactly? I'd like some info on what I'm doing wrong._

 _Guest: I don't think Thaw is a brat, so no._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Oh, I suppose I should hand you a sword and spear and send you off to be captain of the guard._

 _Nlgirl17: Chalk that up to "you'll find out"._

 _Antha1: Wow... you totally got me. I have nothing to say here. I mean, it's not like there's some added info that Elsa doesn't know about and would be really helpful if she did know - oh, wait. As for Flint: bringing his daughter along would be pretty dangerous, now wouldn't it?_

 _I am a burglar: Well, you can't now._

* * *

The sounds of swords clashing rang in the cold air as the Phoenix's men attacked the traveling party ferociously. The two opposing sides were roughly evenly numbered, but the Phoenix's men were larger and stronger.

With a kick of his foot, Andreas sent one man flying into a nearby tree, causing it to crack. The man slumped onto the ground, but a few seconds later sprang to his feet and rejoined the battle.

Screams and shouts filled the air as men on both sides were felled. Nearby, Kristoff and Anna tried to use a nearby shield to block the weapons being fired at them.

"We got to help!" Anna told her husband. "They're going to die!"

"Yeah, but we're still alive. . ." Kristoff started.

"Kristoff!"

"Okay," Kristoff said, raising his hand in defense. Quickly, he grabbed the shield and slung it at their assailants. The sword caught three attackers in the jaws, sending them crashing on the floor in a heap.

Unfortunately, this turned the men's attention to the two. "There they are!" One of the men shouted. "The princess and her husband!"

"My name is Kris-" The ice harvester started, but was cut off when a spear went hurling at his head, nicking his blonde hair. Kristoff gasped, and covered the area of his hair that had been shaved.

"Kill them both!" The man ordered his men. "Phoenix's orders!"

"Phoenix's what?" Anna asked, and promptly ducked as an axe being hurtled at her. The axe sliced into the bark of a tree and stuck there.

Instantly, the attackers ceased their attack on Andreas' party, and they all turned to Anna and Kristoff. With astonishing speed, they dashed at the couple, weapons raised to kill.

"No, no, no, no," Kristoff repeated as one man soared through the air at him, spear aimed at his chest. Suddenly, Sven jumped in between the two, and kicked the man square in the chest. The man screamed as he went flying into the woods.

"Heads up!" Olaf shouted as one sword was flung at him. Quickly, the blade plunged into Olaf's chest.

"Olaf!" Anna cried out in horror.

The snowman looked down at the blade sticking out of his chest, then giggled. "Oh look, I've been impaled," He said, an oblivious smile on his face. "Again."

One of the Phoenix's men saw the distraction, and took the opportunity to lunge at Anna, sword aimed at her throat. Suddenly, a large hand reached out and grabbed the man by his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

The man froze, and turned around to see Kristoff, an unamused look on his face. "Yeah, no," Was all the ice harvester said, and his fist collided with the man's face, knocking out a few teeth. The man gasped, and crashed onto the ground in a heap, the sword landing on its blade edge a few inches away from his face.

"Charge!" Andreas shouted, and his men charged at the Phoenix's men. As the two forces continued their sword fight, one particularly large brute with his face and body covered in steel armor lumbered towards Anna and Kristoff, a large axe in his massive hands. One man charged at him, but he knocked him away with a swipe of his free hand. The man went flying, and crashed into a tree before landing on the ground, unconscious.

Kristoff saw the man coming towards them. "Axe," He said to Anna.

"I know," Anna whispered.

"Axe!" Kristoff repeated, more urgently, as the man raised his axe in the air.

"I know!" Anna shouted. Just as the man brought his axe down, Anna grabbed a fallen sword and raised it above her and her husband's head, blocking the axe. Anna groaned as the larger man applied more force, forcing her onto her knees.

Running out of options, Anna swiftly kicked the man in his tenders.

"Ow!" She cried out, pain shooting in her foot. She dropped her sword and grabbed her injured foot.

"What the. . ." Kristoff whispered in shock, and it was then that he caught a glimpse of the man's eyes.

Glowing orange eyes.

Kristoff, shrugging off his shock, pulled the sword out of the snow and plunged it through a chink in the large man's armor. The man stopped on his tracks and froze in place, then doubled over and clenched his stomach. A bright liquid spilled out of his wound and poured onto the ground.

"Oh, gross," Anna said as she saw the liquid. Kristoff covered both his and his wife's eyes. However, both of their eyes snapped open as they saw the snow dissolve as the liquid poured onto it.

The couple realized, to their horror, that it wasn't blood spilling out of the gash in the man's stomach.

It was bright, orange lava.

Kristoff and Anna gaped at the lava as it poured out of the man, or whatever it was. They were so shocked that they were caught completely by surprise when the man suddenly lashed out, his giant arm colliding with both Kristoff and Anna.

The couple screamed as they went soaring into the air and down a hill. The two tumbled downwards, just barely avoiding hitting trees in their path, and finally came to a stop at the bottom of a frozen lake.

". . . Ow," Kristoff said, lying on his back on the lake.

"Heads up!" A voice cried from above, and the couple quickly got up and dove out of the way as Olaf and Sven went flying down after them, having been tossed down by the giant armored man.

Olaf's head landed first, then shouted, "Watch out for my butt!" As the rest of his body landed on the ice as well.

Kristoff and Anna stumbled to their feet, and looked up at the hill. They saw that they were a long way down, and it would take a long time for them to make it back up the hill.

Anna finally turned to the husband, her mouth agape. "Did you. . . see that?" She asked, pointing up. Kristoff knew what she was talking about.

"Yeah. . ." He said, his face grim.

"Kristoff, we HAVE to get back, now!" Anna warned her husband. "We have to warn everyone. Because _that_. . . that was no _man_."

* * *

Elsa stood in the open space of the castle gates, taking a deep breath. Standing before was a conjured snow replica of what she pictured the Phoenix to be: a large imposing warlord with the signature of a bird engraved in his armor.

Standing by her side, Agni advised, "I want you to imagine it as if he were truly there."

"I know," Elsa said, her eyes focused on the snowman replica. She tried to picture the Phoenix in the snowman. She narrowed her eyes, and drew back her hand. With a thrust of her hand, she conjured an ice spike from the ground.

Elsa gritted her teeth. The ice spike had missed her target.

She tried it again. The ice spike came closer, but didn't pierce its target.

She did it again. And again.

And again.

Elsa breathed heavily, her body tense. "Why can't I hit it?" She asked Agni, genuinely fearful. "It's not moving."

"I think it's because you don't want to truly take a life," Agni pointed out to her. "You have such great powers, but there's a fear within you. You want to protect the ones you love, but you don't want to have to hurt others to do it."

Elsa closed her eyes. She realized that Agni may be right.

 _Don't be the monster they fear you are._

"How can I challenge him if I can't even fight him?" She asked Agni.

"That, I can't answer for you," Agni replied casually. "But maybe, when you finally look at him, you shan't see _him_. Picture the ones you love, instead."

Elsa reluctantly closed your eyes. She took a deep breath. Frost was expelled from her mouth as she concentrated.

 _Conceal, don't feel._

 _Let it go._

Elsa's eyes snapped open. With a thrust of her hand, an ice spike shot out of he ground and impaled the Phoenix replica right through the chest, splitting the snow figure in half.

Agni briefly cringed, then smiled. "You did it, Elsa," She said to her.

"I did," Elsa said, and actually managed a weak smile. "But I can't hesitate like that in a real fight. Not against someone like him. I need to get stronger."

Agni smiled. "Well, I don't have your powers, so I don't know how to use them," She confessed to the slightly younger queen. "However, I may just be able to help you see what you can do."

"Really?" Elsa asked Agni, who smiled.

"Well, we shan't no unless we try," Agni pointed out. "Now, let's see what the Snow Queen is truly capable of!"

* * *

 _Read and review._

 _Also, a song is coming next chapter. I've never written a song before, so wish me luck!_


	18. Be Free

_MHS0501: Indeed._

 _Korrasami 88: Hail! Hail!_

 _I am a burglar: Then you should have asked for one._

 _The Batista: Of course she didn't. Then we wouldn't have a final battle._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Asked me what?_

 _Strange and proud of it: Thanks._

 _Miaka: Originally, it was just a big, really tough guy. Then, while writing, I decided to make him a lava monster because I wanted to show off the Phoenix's powers more._

 _Ravio: Thank you. And your name reminds me of Angry Birds, for some reason._

 _Guest:...Okay._

 _The 379th Hero: Tip: never ask a question that needn't be answered._

 _Antha1: I hope that last part was a joke. Anyways, you can keep thinking about that little theory for now. It won't be long, anyways..._

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** The following song is provided by _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_ and **Queen Agni of Arcturus _._** They're respective lines will be differentiated as shown by their italic and bolded names. Also, since this is my first song, forgive me if it sounds stilted.

With that said, let's continue.

* * *

Queen Elsa stood in the castle gates, surrounded by ice sculptures she had conjured on Agni's volition. Half of the ice sculptures resembled her own guards, and the other half of what she pictured the Phoenix's men to look like. The two were on opposing forces, swords and spears in their hands.

"How accurate is this?" Elsa asked Agni, for confirmation on how well her powers had been able to mimic life. "Is this what the battle would look like?"

"Well, we shan't know for now," Agni pointed out. "The battle hasn't begun, and if we're lucky, it won't come. But that will only happen if the Phoenix is dealt with quickly, before he has a chance to strike."

An idea popped into Elsa's head, and she immediately conjured a picture of herself, freezing a portion of the Phoenix's men in ice. However, it looked odd as they were already made of ice.

"Ooh, that looks. . . cool," Agni complimented, giving her a thumbs up. Elsa gave a small, nervous giggle, still feeling pangs of insecurity. However, her inner emotions soon took over her features.

"What if I can't do it?" Elsa asked, her icy eyes trailing off to her identical sculpture. The sculpture's expression contained such determination, such confidence, but it became clear that it contrasted with the real person.

"What if you can't beat him?" Agni guessed, her hands woven together. "Or, are you asking if you can't conquer yourself?"

"What?" Elsa asked, somewhat baffled by the slightly older queen's odd statement.

"I can relate," Agni confessed to Elsa. "I remember when I was a young girl, the responsibility of queen looming over me my whole life. I was the only child of my parents. My mother wanted a son, but she got. . . me." Agni froze for a moment, and Elsa noticed a forlorn look in her face.

"My mother was not a good person," Agni said before Elsa could reply, and she blinked a few times, as if something were in her eyes.

"Well, after my mother passed away, it was as if I was invisible," Agni recalled. "I hardly saw my father."

"After my accident with my sister, it was as if Anna was invisible," Elsa said, realizing that she could relate to Agni.

"There was so much responsibility, and I didn't know if I was ready. . ."

"I always had to be the good girl they always had to be, and I was so scared. . ."

"But I had to conceal it."

The two queens paused to stare at each other. Agni smiled, then said, "I think it's time to put the past behind us. Now it's time to focus on the present."

* * *

 _ **Be Free**_

* * *

 _I remember a time when I was ruled by fear and uncertainty_

 _Conceived in sin and bound by wrath, I couldn't let it show_

 **When I was small, I was trapped in a ball**

 **Until I managed to claim my veracity**

 _Now a monster looms over my kingdom, after my crown_

 _And I am chained back by my fear, but_ _I can't let everyone down_

 **Just open your eyes, and let your power shine**

 **You can save our kingdom, both yours and mine**

 **You'll be alright, your powers can save you now**

 _ **Just let your power shine**_

 ** _For now is the time_**

 ** _To set away your fear, wipe away your tear_**

 ** _Be Queen and be free_**

 _Now is the time to let it go_

 _I'll let my powers shine and I'll let it show_

 **Fight for what's right**

 **Let the storm rage on**

 **You can do anything, as long as it's in your sights**

 _ **Just let your power shine**_

 _ **For now is the time**_

 _ **To set away your fear, wipe away your tear**_

 _ **Be Queen and be free**_

 _I'll be free_

* * *

King Andreas and his men rushed through the castle gates on horseback on their horses, their battle with the Phoenix's men having finally reached a stalemate. The Phoenix's men had vanished back into the forests; however, Anna and Kristoff were nowhere to be found. They knew they had to relay the news to Elsa about her family's disappearance.

The moment they passed through the gates, they were bombarded with a flurry of ice and snow that had been conjured by Elsa. They came to a stop as they watched, in awe, the scene that played before him. Elsa had not just created ice sculptures; she had conjured fully animated movement in the ice men. They moved almost as if they were alive and in battle with each other.

The men watched as the two ice forces collided with each other in the war that played out in Elsa's mind. Frozen limbs were sliced off and ice men shattered into a million pieces. Elsa's sculpture of herself unleashed a powerful blizzard that coated the castle yard in show and bombarded the opposite ice men, engulfing them in a powerful storm.

As the men watched on in surprise, a dark figure passed overhead, and for a moment, they thought that it was the dreaded fire bird. As they looked up, however, they saw it was not a fire bird; more like a snow bird. A miniature version of the fire bird, in the form of a misty snow, floated above Elsa. As the men watched on in anticipation, Elsa clenched her fist, and the snow bird imploded in a burst of snow, showering everyone present in snowflakes.

The moment the display of Elsa's powers were over, Andreas and his men immediately clapped in approval. At the same time, Kai strode out of the castle, and said, "Oh look, the dancing knights."

Standing next to them, Agni shivered in the cold, not wearing her cloak. Elsa noticed, and said, "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Agni reassured, hugging herself and giving a weak smile. "Also, you're a great singer."

"Thank you," Elsa said. She then frowned and turned to King Andreas. She recognized him and his men, but a few were missing. Including her sister and brother-in-law.

"Where are-"

"We were attacked," King Andreas interrupted the Snow Queen. "My large men. We fought bravely, and a few were lost on both sides. Your sister and her husband vanished during this ambush. We don't know where they are."

"Where are they?" Queen Elsa asked, her voice bordering in shouting.

". . . We just said we don't know," Andreas pointed out.

"Yeah, in hindsight, that was a pretty dumb question," Kai pointed out. Elsa turned to stare at him, gritting her teeth and looking like she was about to retort. Eventually, she just said, "Call the navy and send them out to circle the land until we find the Phoenix."

"Oh, good to see your taking your niece's advise," Kai said to her. "Nice for you to finally open up to someone. Only took you four years."

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "Don't backtalk me," She said, surprisingly calm.

Kai blinked once. "I'll be going now," He said, and turned to go back to the castle. However, he paused and turned around. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What?!"

". . . Nice song."

* * *

"Are you done the letter yet?" Christian asked his wife as he stood by their bedroom.

"Almost done," Diane said from within the room.

Christian breathed heavily, still somewhat nervous. He'd finally been convinced by his wife and parents to write the letter and send it to the crown. They would send it by bird, and hopefully it reached the castle quickly. Then, they would leave their house before the Phoenix arrived.

The door finally opened, and Diane walked out, holding the letter. Christian took it, and quickly read it over.

"Hopefully, when the Queen sees this, she'll know what to do," Christian hoped, and put the note in a scroll. Walking to the window where his bird was waiting, he said, "Go to the castle and send it to the Queen. Now." The bird crowed, and flew off towards the castle, the note in its talons.

As it left, he felt his daughter, Dawn, pulling his hand. "Daddy, where are we going?" She asked, her blonde hair falling over her face.

"To a friends, for the time being," Christian explained to his daughter. "Get your little brother. We're going now, before your. . . _tante_ arrives."

"Okay," Dawn said, and rushed off to get her brother, Abner. Christian watched her leave, and breathed heavily. He could tell she didn't know the full weight of what was really going on. Hopefully, he could keep it that way.

As he stood by the window, he didn't notice a small bird, glowing with a fiery light, standing on a tree branch, watching him with glowing yellow eyes.

The bird cawed angrily, and flew off the branch and towards the kingdom, in the direction of the messenger bird.

* * *

 _Once again, sorry if the song wasn't the best. It was my first try._

 _Anyways, read and review._


	19. Masked Deceit

_A/N: For anyone wondering, the tune I, personally, used for the song was 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift._

 _The 379th Hero:...Okay. Didn't have anything to say about the chapter, I guess._

 _Resilient Heart of a Queen: Oh, thanks. It took me a long time to write that song and try and find a tune for myself._

 _Miaka: Yeah, I decided to insert some comedy, mainly with Kai. And since he doesn't appear much in the movie, and thus doesn't get a whole lot of personality, I can get away with inserting my own take without it coming across as OOC._

 _I am a burglar: *sigh*_

 _Korrasami 88: It's one of the Phoenix's fire birds. It's more of a spy, though, than a weapon of mass destruction like the giant fire bird._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: No thanks._

 _CM6SHIELD6PLL6: Wow, it was hard typing that. Anywho, thanks._

 _MHS0501: It was hard typing that, too. Yeah, that's how I imagined she would respond._

 _Antha1: That's always been his personality (at least in my version)._

 _Nlgirl17:...Don't tell anyone._

* * *

A group of shadowed men hid in the forest overlooking the kingdom, waiting in anticipating for their leader to arrive. After their fight with King Andreas and his men, they had gone to a different neck of the woods.

The sight of a small orange bird the color of fire was what alerted them to the Phoenix's arrival. They quickly bowed down as their leader arrived on a horse, unmasked.

"Greetings, my master," The leader of the men said. "You told us to come here to meet you."

The Phoenix nodded, then frowned and said, "My mask? Where is it?"

"Here," One of the men said, and gave the Phoenix the golden mask the shape of a bird. The Phoenix took it.

Looking in the direction of the Valley of the Living Rock, the Phoenix said, "My brother has betrayed me. He's sent a message to the queen."

"We knew he couldn't be trusted!" The men said, leaping to their feet. "We should have killed them all when we had the chance! Shall we do it now!"

The Phoenix raised a hand to shush them. "You needn't be worried," The Phoenix reassured them. "I've been watching him ever since we first visited. No, what you should be worried about is that you failed to kill Princess Anna!"

The men shrunk down in fear as the Phoenix glared at them with fiery eyes. "I apologize, my master," The leader of the men said, in an attempt to spare himself and his men from their master's fury. "We know we should have succeeded."

"And after I created a soldier out of lava just for the sake of making your job easier," The Phoenix sneered down at them. "Well, no matter. I'll deal with her myself."

Getting to their feet, the men said, "What shall we do with Christian now that he's betrayed you?"

The Phoenix frowned. "I visited my dear brother to test his loyalty," The Phoenix explained to the men. "I grew up with him, after all. He and his parents took me in as a child with nowhere to go. My one act of mercy was giving them a chance to prove themselves. Now they have failed me."

The Phoenix went silent for a moment, as if pondering what course of action to take. The men watched on, silent, wondering what their leader would say.

"Him and his family have fled their house," The Phoenix explained to them. "They think that they can flee before I find out about what they've done. What fools they are. I grew up with Christian and his parents. I know where they're going."

Turning to the men, the Phoenix said, "I want you to go and find all those ice harvesters. Kill them. All of them."

The men were silent for a moment, and the Phoenix said, "I'm giving you a chance to prove yourself after your failure. Kill them all, and you'll be forgiven. But spare Christian and his family. I'll deal with them personally."

"Yes, my lord," The leader of the men said with a grin, and the men took off in the direction of the Valley of the Living Rock. The Phoenix watched them go, and then turned back to the castle.

The warlord knew it was time to battle Queen Elsa. But first, the warlord would have to deal with her sister.

* * *

Thaw lay in her bed, somewhat bored. Her parents were gone, and she figured that her aunt and the other royals except for Agni simply weren't worth talking to.

The door creaked open, and Thaw jerked up to see who it was. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that it was none other than her aunt, Queen Elsa, at the door.

"Auntie Elsa?" Thaw said, choking on her words. She was surprised to see that it was her aunt visiting her, rather than the other way around. Quickly, she sprang to her feet in the presence of her Queen, and gave a curtsy.

"There's no need for that," Elsa reassured her young niece. "I'd just like you to know I took your advice you gave me."

"Really?" Thaw said, standing up from her curtsy. "You're sending the navy out to circle the seas?"

"Yes," Elsa said, forcing a smile. "Hopefully, when they find the Phoenix, they'll be able to alert the kingdom with a flare."

"That's awesome, Auntie Elsa!" Thaw shouted, and the Queen was surprised when Thaw sprang into the air with joy. When the young princess saw the startled look in her aunt's eyes, she immediately settled down.

"Sorry about that," She whispered, a little embarrassed. Elsa regained her smile, and said, "Can we talk."

Thaw raised an eyebrow, and got on the bed. Elsa sat down with her.

"So, your parents are missing," Elsa explained to Thaw. "They were ambushed. The guards are out looking for them, but we haven't found them yet."

Thaw frowned, and heaved. "I know," She said, staring off into the distance. "I hope they're okay. Do you think the Phoenix has got them?"

"Definitely not," Elsa reassured her niece. "Your parents are much too smart for him." This got Thaw to give a tentative smile.

Elsa frowned. "However, until they're back, I was hoping maybe we could spend. . . time together," She said, her voice somewhat stiff. "Like aunt and niece."

"Really now?" Thaw asked, her voice laced with skepticism. "And just what would that be?"

"Fun," Elsa quickly said. "So, what do girls your age like to do?"

Thaw raised an eyebrow. "What did _you_ do when you were eight years old?" She questioned, folding her arms, a little uncertain.

Elsa paused for a moment, trying to decipher the recesses of her mind to remember what it was like when she was eight years old. It didn't take long for her to recall something she once did with Anna.

"I know!" Elsa said, springing up from her bed. "We're going to have lots of fun!"

"Really?" Thaw asked, raising an eyebrow. "What kind of fun?"

"Trust me!" Elsa said, a nervous smile on her face. "You'll just love it!"

* * *

Christian's bird soared through the air and over the kingdom, flying towards the castle with Christian's note in its talons. It flew towards the nearest window, and cawed to get the attention of whoever was in the room.

The man inside the room heard the bird, and rushed towards the window. The moment he was at the window, the bird released the note into the room, and the man caught it in his hands. The bird then soared off towards the forest.

"Odd," The man said noted, and then unraveled the note to see what its contents read. The letter was small, and was rather hastily written, giving off the impression of urgency.

The man looked through each word in the note until he reached the end, and his eyes contorted into anxiety. Once he was finished, he closed the note.

The man swore under his breath. He knew he couldn't let Queen Elsa see this.

Quickly, he tucked the letter into his suit, just as the door opened. Turning around, he saw one of the guards at the door, staring at him. They exchanged glances, and the man wondered if the guard had seen him and the letter.

After a few moments, the guard shrugged and closed the door. The man sighed in relief.

"That was close," He whispered.

He knew he couldn't let anyone see what he had found. He knew his master would not forgive him if they found out.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	20. Unmasked

_MHS0501: Well, for one thing, Anna and Kristoff weren't captured. Second, Elsa's kind of trying to distract Thaw from how dangerous things are at the moment (Even though it won't work quite that easily)._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Well...yeah._

 _Korrasami 88: Indeed._

 _The 379th Hero: Will what?_

 _Miaka: Unfortunate indeed._

 _Antha1: His men are scared of the Phoenix. As for Elsa, it's kind of a combination of both._

 _Strange and proud of it: Okay then._

 _I am a burglar: You won't get far._

 _Nlgirl17: Let's just find out._

* * *

Christian and his family trudged through the snow as they neared his friend's house. They could see the small cabin in sight in the center of the woods.

"We're almost there!" Christian reassured his family, a hopeful smile on his face. His friend, Anthony, lived far off from the kingdom in one of the deeper parts of the forest. Few of the residents of the kingdom even knew where he lived, as they scarcely traveled.

He hoped that his former friend had forgotten this location as well.

"Take this," He said to his grandfather, handing him to land that they used to guide him. Then, he walked at a fast pace towards Anthony's house. Walking up the small wooden stairs, he soon found himself at the door.

Slamming his fist against the door, Christian half-shouted, "Anthony! Let us in!"

He stopped knocking on the door, hoping to hear his friend answer the door. When he got no response, Christian shouted, "You have to let us in! We have to stay here for a while!"

Once again, he got no response. Christian furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Anthony wasn't one to take very long, and at this time, he couldn't be out on his job.

"Christian?" He heard Diane behind him. Turning to his wife, he shrugged his shoulders in confusion. Instinctively, he then put his hand on the doorknob and twisted it.

The door flung open, and Christian nearly tumbled into the house. He nearly shouted out a swear word in shock.

"What?" He shouted out once he regained balance. Anthony always kept the door locked.

He looked around, and a feeling of dread filled his stomach as he saw that the house looked different. Some windows were smashed, several items had been thrown onto the ground, and he saw footprints made of snow on the dirty floor. From the looks of it, there had been a struggle.

"Anthony!" Christian cried out in a panic. He realized, to his horror, that the Phoenix had remembered where Anthony's house was, even after all the years that his friend and sibling had been away from Arendelle.

"Christian!" He heard his grandfather shout, and he turned and rushed out of the house. He saw his family, pale faced, standing near a tree over something. Christian's eyes widened in horror when he saw that it was Anthony.

Without thinking clearly, Christian rushed towards his friend, who lay on the ground, a hatchet lying next to him. The man was lying face-down in the snow, and Christian could see some blood near him.

"Anthony?" Christian whispered, and he turned his friend over so he was laying on his back. His friend's face was deathly pale, and there was a trickle of blood running down his mouth.

It didn't take a detailed inspection to know that the man was dead.

For a few minutes, the family knelt over Anthony's body, letting the disastrous turn of events truly burrow into their minds. Diane could see Christian's face turn stony, his fists clenched together.

"Christian-"

"Dammit!" Christian suddenly shouted, startling his family. He got up and stomped onto the ground, his face turning red.

"They knew we would come here!" Christian shouted in a rage. "The Phoenix told them where he lived. They murdered him!"

It suddenly occurred to him that the Phoenix, therefore, must also have known about the letter. He froze as he realized that the Phoenix hadn't truly left him. His former sibling and friend had been watching him, somehow, to make sure that he kept silent.

He realized, with dread, that his family was in even deeper danger than before.

"We have to hide," Christian said to his family.

"Christian, where can we go?" Diane asked. "We can't keep running."

"Diane, they'll kill all of you!" Christian said, whirling on his family. "We have no chance against them. We have to find the others and-"

"You cannot."

Christian froze when he heard the voice. For a moment, he feared that it was the Phoenix, or one of his men. But the voice didn't sound like the Phoenix. It sounded rather ancient.

"Who said that?" Christian asked, turning his head in the direction of the voice. However, in the darkness of the forest, he couldn't see anything.

All he could see were several large rocks, lying in the snow in front of his family.

The largest rock rolled over and unraveled in front of the bewildered family, revealing Grand Pabbie. The family stared in shock at the troll as he appeared right in front of them. They knew trolls existed, but they'd never seen one.

"Who are you?" Diane asked, holding onto her children.

"You have to follow us," Grand Pabbie said, sounding almost desperate.

"But we have to find the other ice harvesters," Christian said to the troll. "Before the Phoenix gets them too."

Grand Pabbie closed his eyes, and turned away from the family, a solemn look on his face.

"It's too late for them."

The family stared at the old troll, letting his words sink in. After a few moments of silence, the family slowly followed the trolls as they led them into the woods.

* * *

After their talk, Elsa had taken Thaw out to a section of the castle yards. In the hour that they were together, Elsa had summoned her ice powers in a mesmerizing display to entertain her niece. She'd used the memories of her friendship with Anna as a basis for her tricks.

"This is something I showed Anna when she was five years old," Elsa explained to her niece, releasing a burst of snow into the air, transforming into a large, crystalline snowflake. Thaw's eyes glittered in awe.

It had been years since she'd truly been together like this, even if it was only for an hour. Thaw genuinely did appreciate what her aunt was doing for her. However, deep down, within the confines of her heart, Thaw still felt an emptiness inside, though she couldn't quite explain it.

She felt like there was a genuine connection, but it was being expressed through inauthentic means.

"Thaw," A voice whispered from behind her. The young princess turned around to see Agni, walking up to the two. Elsa's smile faded a bit when she saw the other queen arrive.

"What are you two doing?" Agni asked as she looked at the display of ice. "What happened to the castle yards? Elsa, I thought you were training."

Elsa swallowed something. "I'm. . . spending time with my niece," She defended, walking up and taking Thaw's hand in her own.

Agni turned to look at Thaw. "Oh?" She said, and Thaw thought she heard Agni scoff. "Funny you should do that while her parents are missing. And while your kingdom is being threatened. I guess this is the perfect time to spend time with your family."

Elsa blinked, a little put off by Agni's sudden hostility, but she brushed it off as her simply being concerned. "I'm dealing with that," She reassured the older queen. "Besides, I can handle the kingdom at a later time. Right now, I want-"

"Some things are more important than what you want, Elsa," Agni pointed out. She gave one last glance to Thaw, and then turned and walked away, leaving a chilly feeling in the air.

"What was that about?" Elsa asked, perplexed by Agni's behavior. "Anyways, where were we, Thaw? Thaw?"

Thaw was staring off into space, considering Agni's words. While she, too, was a somewhat puzzled by what Agni had said, she also agreed, to an extent, with that she had said.

Her parents were missing, and the kingdom was being threatened. It really was a weird time for Elsa to want to finally spend quality time with her, even if she had wanted it for years.

"Elsa," Thaw said, turning to her aunt. "I think we need to focus on more important matters."

"What?" Elsa asked, turning to look down at Thaw.

"Agni's right," Thaw pointed out to Elsa. "We have a kingdom to look after. It was nice that you did this for me, but I think that's for another time-"

"I thought you wanted me to spend time with you?" Elsa pointed out. "Not as a princess and her Queen, but as a niece and her aunt. Like a family."

Thaw bit her lower lip. "Well, yeah," She admitted. "But there's another time for that. Now, we need to focus on more important matters. I think we shouldn't wait for the Phoenix to get here."

Now Elsa was starting to get frustrated. "We're not!" She said, raising her voice a little. "I sent those ships to go look for him. They'll send a signal when we find him. Wasn't that your idea?"

"Well, mine and Agni's," Thaw corrected. "But what if something happens? What if they get ambushed? Maybe you should go out-"

"-And leave the whole kingdom unprotected?" Elsa cut off, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't you remember what happened last time I ran away?"

"Last time, you were running _away_ from your problems," Thaw pointed out. "This time, you would be running towards it."

The two remained silent for a moment, and Thaw spoke again. "The Phoenix made a bird out of fire," She said. "Maybe you can make a bird out of snow? Maybe tons of birds made out of snow? You can send them to scout the whole kingdom, and the forest, and find my parents."

"But I've never done something like that!" Elsa shouted, and Thaw noticed the temperature begin to drop.

"You made Marshmallow and those tiny snowlings that one time on my mom's birthday," Thaw reminded. "Just make them with wings."

Elsa's face begin to turn red. "You tell me to send the navy out to search the area, and now you want me to make flying snow golems to do the same thing?"

"Just call them back," Thaw said quickly.

"Ugh!" Elsa groaned, disturbing Thaw a bit. "Who knows how far they are now! That would be such a waste!"

Thaw was about to say something, but Elsa suddenly blurted out, "I don't know why I decided to listen to a word you said! You're a little girl who has barely ever left this kingdom, and has no idea what it's like to be queen!"

Elsa froze when she saw the hurt expression on Thaw's face, and she felt twinge of remorse. However, then the young princess narrowed her eyes, and she shouted out the first retort she could think of.

"Well. . . well. . . I'm not the woman who shut her sister out for thirteen years!" Thaw shouted out at her aunt. "I'm not the woman who abandoned her kingdom and had to literally be dragged back in chains before she could fix the problem that she started! I'm not the woman who's trying to distract her niece from a very real threat! I'm not the woman who never listens to anyone else and only thinks about herself!"

Elsa's jaw dropped. "Thaw-"

"And you want to know something else?!" Thaw asked, her face turning red. "I may be the only person in this kingdom who thinks that maybe we shouldn't be trusting YOU to defend this kingdom from threats!"

At that, Elsa went silent. Thaw knew she must've struck a chord in her aunt, because her aunt had an expression of utter shock on her face. Deep down, she felt a little regretful at what she'd said to her aunt, but she didn't show it. She masked her inner insecurity with a look of stern mistrust.

They stared at each other, a chilly feeling in the air, and not as a result of Elsa's powers.

"If you'll excuse me," Thaw said after a while. "I'm going to go deal with more important matters." With that, she stormed off, leaving Elsa alone in the castle yards.

* * *

Anna and Kristoff trudged through the hazardous snow, shivering in the cold. They had, unfortunately, lost their horse in the ambush, and had to walk the whole way back.

Standing on top of Sven, Olaf said, "Look, the kingdom's in sight! We're almost there!"

"Thank you, Olaf," Anna said, shivering in the cold. "Now we just have to get home. So, you think Elsa and Thaw have been bonding like we planned?"

"No doubt about it," Kristoff said, grinning, unaware of just how wrong he was. As they continued trudging through the snow, Anna thought she could hear faint screaming off in the distance.

"Help me!"

"Kristoff, do you hear that?" Anna asked, cupping her ear so she could get a better listen on who was speaking. Kristoff could also hear the screaming, and as they got nearer, they noticed three figures off in the distance.

The three figures were rather close to the castle, though out of sight from anyone else nearby. Two of the figures were rather large, and they were holding a smaller figure in their grasp. The group noticed that it was a woman with brown hair.

Anna recognized that it was Queen Agni. And the creatures holding her hostage were two large lava men.

"Agni!" Anna shouted out in shock as the two lava men forcibly dragged Agni into the woods. Without thinking clearly, Anna ran towards Sven and shouted, "We have to go after them!"

Kristoff noticed the three, and he ran off to Sven as well. "Get us over there as fast as we can!" He ordered the reindeer. "We have to rescue her!"

Quickly, Sven galloped off in the direction the lave men had taken Agni, carrying Anna, Kristoff and Olaf on his back. They ran in the opposite direction of the kingdom as they pursued the monsters and their hostage.

Before long, they reached where they had last seen Agni and her captors. The three got off of Sven, and looked around the area. Kristoff noticed that they were startling close to a snowy cliff-side.

Staring over the cliff, Kristoff said, "Do you think they-"

"No," Anna denied, hushing her husband. They continued to look around the forest to try and find any signs of the lava men and their captive.

The four didn't notice a masked figure hiding in the woods, watching them. The Phoenix raised an air, and summoned a ball of fire. The fire glowed bright, and the Phoenix aimed the fireball at Anna and Kristoff.

With his peripheral vision, Sven noticed the fire coming from the side. Turning around, the reindeer caught sight of the masked figure just as it was about to fire. Letting out a panicked bray, the reindeer charged at Anna and Kristoff and rammed into them just as the Phoenix fired the ball of fire at them. The fire exploded at the three, barely missing them.

Anna, Kristoff and Sven collapsed onto the ground, some of the fire having singed Sven's fur. The reindeer lay, injured, on the ground.

"Sven!" Kristoff cried out in horror. Quickly, he grabbed a tree branch off the ground and hurled it in the Phoenix's direction. The warlord quickly incinerated the branch with a blast of fire, only to see Anna rush out and punch the warlord in the face.

"Where's Queen Agni?" Anna shouted out. "What have you done with her?!"

The Phoenix whirled backwards, and shot another blast of fire at Anna, who quickly dodged. The fire instead burnt through the bark of a tree. Quickly, the tree tumbled down towards the Phoenix, who backed away. However, a branch of the tree struck the Phoenix, and the mask clattered to the ground.

The three heard the Phoenix let out a pained shout, and the warlord vanished into the darkness of the woods. All that remained was the Phoenix's golden mask, which had been shattered in two.

Olaf ran to the Phoenix's broken mask, and picked it up. "It's destroyed," The snowman said, holding the mask out to Anna. "He doesn't have a mask anymore."

"Which means we can see his true face!" Anna pointed out. Turning around, she shouted, "Come out of hiding, you coward! Are you truly frightened of a powerless princess and her husband?!"

Anna could briefly hear shuffling in the woods, and she saw a pair of glowing red eyes, staring at her in the woods. However, she realized that it wasn't the Phoenix, but really the lava men.

The eyes vanished. Suddenly, Queen Agni tumbled out of the darkness and at Anna's feet.

"Queen Agni!" Anna shouted, surprised, but also relieved.

"Princess Anna," Agni said, getting onto her knees. Anna helped her to her feet.

Kristoff ran up, and said, "I'm so glad we found you! What happened?"

"I was kidnapped," Agni said, and she began to rub her face. As she did, Anna and Kristoff noticed that Agni had a rather large bruise on her face that they hadn't seen before.

"Agni, what happened there?" Kristoff said, concerned.

"One of those lava monsters struck me," Agni said, covering the bruise. "I'm alright, though."

Kristoff narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't look like a bruise you'd get from being punched by a lava monster; I should know," He said, folding his arms. "In fact, it almost looks like you got hit by a. . . branch. . ."

He paused for a moment as he stared at Agni's face. Then, he gripped Anna's hand and said, "Run."

"What?"

"Run!" Kristoff shouted, jerking Anna as he rushed off in the opposite direction, Sven and Olaf following close behind. Agni gritted her teeth as she watched them flee.

Then, she uncovered her face, and summoned a ball of fire in the palm of her hands. With an angry yell, she hurled the fire ball at them as they ran.

Kristoff and Anna turned around to see the fireball flying towards them. Not thinking clearly, all four of them dove to the left, right towards the side of the mountain. The fireball exploded a few feet away from them, and the force of the blast sent them flying off the side of the cliff.

Agni watched as the four all screamed as they flew off the cliff. She ran towards the cliff, and watched as their bodies grew smaller and smaller as they vanished down the cliff.

Soon, they were gone.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Agni turned and stared at the broken mask. Her mask.

Picking up the mask in her hands, Agni sighed, and closed her eyes. "This was not how I wanted things to go," She whispered to herself. Casually summoning to small fire birds, she whispered, "Go down there and make sure they're really dead."

As the fire birds flew down the cliff, Agni stared at the broken mask. It appeared she would have to make a slight change of plans, now that her disguise had been shattered.

But maybe, that was for the best.

"No more concealing," She whispered to herself.

It was time to stop hiding, she thought to herself. Today, she would let all of Arendelle know. But first, she would let Queen Elsa and Thaw know the truth.

Queen Agni of Arcturus was the Phoenix.

* * *

 _If you see it, review it._

 _Just for fun, go back and see if you could catch hints of the Phoenix's identity._


	21. Shattered Hearts

_A/N: Severe apologies to every genuine reviewer and reader of my story who has to see what I'm going to write next:_

 _Guest:_ _ **GO FUCK YOURSELF!**_ _I have never met a more whiny, bratty, immature reviewer in my life! I already explained why there's conflict, to move the story along, because all stories need conflict! But of course you wouldn't know that, because you're not a writer. You keep bitching about every detail and about how you're being "affected" by this story. If you don't like it, why are even reading it?_ _Well, here's the cold, hard truth: I don't give a damn about your feelings or your opinions. You've contributed absolutely nothing, you've been spamming the review filter, and you think this story is about you! It's not! I don't have to feel bad about "offending" you when you're just a spoiled brat. And I pray that this is a child writing this, because for the life of me, if this is coming from a grown adult, that's just pathetic. If you're just going to be a giant dick who thinks everyone should cater to your demands, then stay the hell away from my story! The only reason I didn't delete everything you posted is so everyone can see just how much of an infantile little brat you are. But the next time you write anymore crap like you just did before, they're being deleted on sight!_

 _...Once again, sincere apologies to everyone else who witnessed this. I just really needed to deal with this. Anywho, I'm just going to go on with the story._

* * *

The twin fire birds soared through the blizzard down the glacial cliff side, circling around each other like vultures, awaiting to consume their prey. They flew at a remarkable speed, and it wasn't long before they reached the bottom of the cliff.

There they were, laying in a cushion of high snow. The princess and her spouse and the reindeer, all three of them lay unconscious in the snow. The only one not in sight was the snowman.

In the blizzard, it was difficult to tell whether the three were alive or not. However, to ensure that survival was not possible, the fire birds slowly hovered above the three, prepared to incinerate them in a blast of fire.

But it never came.

There was silence in the air as a green mist encircled the two fire birds, who let out a small cackling whisper as they were consumed and vanished into thin air. The moment they were gone, several small creatures trudged through the thick snow, and the blizzard ceased as they arrived.

The small figures stood over Anna, Kristoff and Sven. The first one let out a small sigh, and pressed his hand on the princess and her husband. Their cold, pale skin soon turned warm. After doing the same with the reindeer, the small creature turned to a small mound of snow lying nearby.

With a flick of his fingers, the creature unearthed Olaf and reformed him with his magic.

"Whoa, head rush," The snowman said, shaking his head. "For a moment there I thought I was going to freeze to death. But then I remembered I can't freeze, and then-"

"Hush," The creature said gently, and the snowman instantly quieted down. Turning his attention back to the unconscious trio, the creature signaled for his companions to take them and drag them off.

Olaf followed.

* * *

Thaw stormed through the castle halls, grumbling after her argument with Queen Elsa. It pained her that just when it seemed that she and her aunt would bond, it was just ruined in an instant.

She wasn't planning on involving herself with her aunt until all of this was over. Until the Phoenix had been dealt with, she would not speak, look at, or even _think_ of her aunt, such was her inner misery.

Storming up to Gerda, Thaw asked, "Where's all the visitors? Circe? Prince Howard?"

The maid turned and pointed to the courtroom. Thaw quickly ran off to the courtroom and swung the door open, startling all of the visitors, who were enjoying a meal prepared by Kai.

Walking into the room, Thaw stood onto a chair and said, "Everyone, we need to think of a strategy now! There's no more time to waste!"

"Um, with all due respect, princess," One of the duke's said. "We're in the middle of eating-"

"I don't care!" Thaw interrupted, her face turning red. "I apologize if I'm offending you, but we need to treat this seriously! This is a man who burns down kingdoms! We have to do everything in our power to make sure this doesn't happen to Arendelle! Now, what do you propose?"

"I say we go out and fight him!" King Andreas suggested. "Who's with me?"

"But I don't want to get burned to death," Prince Howard pointed out.

Thaw groaned. "Well we have to do something!" She cried out. "My parents are out there! Who knows what's happened to them."

"Well. . . we. . ." The Duke of Hesse said, but he didn't know what to say.

Thaw gritted her teeth, and her nails bit into the table. "If you're not going to help, why did you even come here?" She asked, exasperated.

"Hey, this was Queen Agni's idea!" Princess Circe snapped at Thaw. "She's the one who told us we had to come to Arendelle!"

"Where is she, anyways?" One of the royals asked. At that moment, a familiar voice called out, "I'm here!"

All heads turned to see Queen Agni at the door, looking somewhat tired and out of breath. Her forehead was matted with sweat, and some of the royals flinched when they noticed the bruise on her face.

"I heard everything down the hallway," Agni explained, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Queen Agni, what happened to your-" Princess Circe started, but was cut off.

"Tripped on a flight of stairs and fell on my face," Agni quickly explained. Looking at Princess Thaw, Agni said, "Princess, I think we should leave these men and women to their own devices, since they're apparently too _small-minded_ to think of anything useful."

A few of the royals narrowed their eyes at Agni's comment, but said nothing. Thaw, on the other hand, readily ran over to Queen Agni and took her hand. The two walked out of the courtroom, leaving the other royals.

The moment they were outside in the hallway, Agni looked down at Thaw and said, "Don't worry. You have me to talk to, now."

* * *

Thaw spent the next several minutes simply releasing everything to Agni. She lay on her bed, letting tears stream down her cheeks as she explained to Agni all that had happened. She had talked about her argument with Elsa, and the words she had said to her, and her rant to the other royals.

Throughout it all, Agni nodded understandingly, saying, "I understand, princess. There, there, I know."

"I wish everyone else would realize just how important this is," Thaw said through choked sobs. "I can't be the only who cares."

"But you're not," Agni reassured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I care."

Thaw wiped away a tear. "I wish my aunt cared as much as you did," She confessed to her.

Agni nodded. Then, she shifted her eyes before leaning in close and whispering, "You know, if no one else is going to be useful, maybe you should do something about it."

Thaw wiped the water from her cheeks. "W-What?" She asked, wondering if she'd heard correctly.

"It was just a thought," Agni said, looking up to the window. "I always told myself 'If nobody will do it, do it yourself'. I mean, you do know these woods so well. You are an ice harvester princess, after all."

Thaw stared at Agni, squinting her eyes a bit. She knew it was risky going out into the forest, especially by herself, but she realized that nobody else was going to help her, or at least be very useful.

Maybe she was the only one who could go and find her parents. Then, they might be able to help.

Slowly, Thaw got out of bed and walked to the door. She paused for a moment, and then exited the room.

Agni watched her leave, and covered her mouth to hide her smirk. _Yes, princess, go on and do something. Let's just see how the queen reacts when she finds out her precious niece has gone and gotten herself lost._

Agni then got up, and flexed her fingers before exiting the room as well. It wouldn't be very long now.

Soon, she'd have both the queen and princess in her grasp.

* * *

Thaw ran to the stables, where Ander gently slept. Running over to the small reindeer, the young princess shook him awake. Instantly, the reindeer got onto its legs.

"Come on," Thaw said to the reindeer. "We're sneaking out of here. We're going to go find my parents."

The reindeer brayed, concerned. Thaw furrowed her eyebrows and said, "I don't care what my aunt thinks. She'd probably be better off if I wasn't here, anyways." She looked to the floor in shame.

Ander softly brushed against Thaw's shoulder, and the princess wrapped her arm around him.

"Come on, let's go," She said to the reindeer. "I think I have a plan."

* * *

 _Read and review._


	22. Runaway

_I'm going to try and respond to these comments, but it may prove difficult because a certain someone obviously spammed the review filter again. Speaking of which..._

 _Guest: Stop adding more than one comment per chapter. And yes, I know it was you._

 _Anyways..._

 _Korrasami 88: You'll find out._

 _The 379th Hero: Oh, really now?_

 _Miaka: I know right?_

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Hey, where have you been? Also, it's not a bunch of Thaw haters. It's just a troll._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Sorry, I was just really in a bad mood._

 _Antha1: It's not that complex, actually. Also, regarding an earlier comment, on why Agni/Phoenix seem to be in two places at once despite being the same person: I chalked that up to her being really fast._

* * *

In a dark cave illuminated by a lantern, the trolls nestled around Anna and Kristoff's unconscious bodies. Christian and his family were currently tending to a wounded Sven. Olaf was outside the cave with Dawn, the others not knowing what they were up to.

"Are they going to be alright?" Abner asked as he walked up towards the trolls, carrying Kristoff's cap in his small arms.

Grand Pabbie turned and greeted the boy. "Yes they will," He reassured the young boy. "It's a good thing I got to them in time and managed to heal their wounds. If I had arrived too late, they'd have been lost to us."

As he spoke the words, Anna and Kristoff's breathing became more ridged, followed by the latter coughing violently. The trolls backed away as Kristoff sat up, slamming his fist into his chest to get his choking back to normal.

"Where are we?" He asked, whipping his head around. His eyes landed on Bulda, and he shot up to his feet. It was then that he noticed the trolls surrounding.

"Pabbie?" Kristoff said in disbelief. "Bulda? Cliff?"

"You found us, son!" Bulda said cheerfully, and she wrapped her arms around her adopted son. Kristoff stood, frozen, still in shock to see his family after thinking they had been captured or worse. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Anna groaning and getting to her feet. When she saw the trolls, she said, "Hey, it's you! You're alive?"

"We escaped," Grand Pabbie escaped to the two. "They burned down our home, the Phoenix's men."

As Pabbie spoke the words, Kristoff regained his memory, and he said, "The Phoenix! Agni, it's her!"

"We have to warn everyone!" Anna said to the trolls, getting to her feet. "She's at the castle. Nobody knows it's her."

It was then that Kristoff noticed Christian shift when Anna spoke. He'd just seen his family in the cave as well, and noticed Christian had a guilty look on his face.

"Christian, you're here, too?" He asked. The fellow ice harvester nodded slowly, and sighed.

"The other ice harvesters are dead," Christian quickly explained to Kristoff. "We don't know if any survived. Agni ordered them killed."

Kristoff's face went blank when he heard the news. Anna saw the look on his face. She knew that he had been close friends with many of the other ice harvesters.

"It's all my fault," Christian said, getting to his feet and wiping his face. "I should have warned you sooner."

Anna and Kristoff turned to stare at him. "What are you talking about, Christian?" Kristoff asked, confused. "What do you mean, you should have warned us."

Christian stared at the two, a guilty look on his face. He hung his head low in shame.

As she saw his expression, Anna realized the truth. "You. . . you knew!" She shouted, pointing a finger at him. "You knew that Agni was the Phoenix the whole time! Why didn't you tell us!"

"I tried," Christian explained to the two. "I sent a letter to the kingdom, warning them. But she said she'd kill my children."

"But how?" Kristoff asked, the sudden surge of events hitting him like a tidal wave. "How could you know about this."

"Because. . ." Christian started, and let out a deep breath. "She's my sister."

Anna and Kristoff froze in shock.

". . . What?!"

* * *

One of the Phoenix's men wandered through the forest, an ax in his hand. Ever since his leader had given him the order to kill any ice harvesters on sight, he'd been wandering through the forest, searching for any of them.

The man was broken out of his thoughts when he heard soft humming coming from the lake. Quickly dodging behind a tree, he cupped his ear to better hear who was humming.

The humming was coming from a little girl. For a moment, the man was willing to simply ignore the child and leave, but as he moved from his hiding spot, he saw who the girl was.

Sitting at the lake, her back turned to him, was the princess of Arendelle. Queen Agni had informed the men of the princess' appearance, and there was no doubt that it was her. With her striking blonde hair, her ice harvester clothing, and the ice pick laying at her side, she was, without a doubt, the princess.

The man stared at the princess, and he realized the opportunity of the situation. He could only imagine the rewards the Phoenix would grant him and her men if he brought her the kidnapped princess. A sly grin appeared on his lips.

Slowly, he approached the princess, holding the ax tight in his hands. It wouldn't be too hard to simply snatch the young girl, he mused.

The princess didn't even appear to notice his presence. She just kept humming absentmindedly, poking at the lake with her ice pick.

Soon enough, the man was only a few inches away from the princess. His grin widening, the man prepared to grab the young girl.

"Hello, little girl. . ." He whispered as he reached out towards her. As he did, he set one foot in a mound of grass and leaves. Suddenly, the man felt something tighten around his leg. With a surprised shout, the man was yanked into the air by his leg by a rope attached to a tree branch.

"Gotcha!" Thaw shouted, whipping around and staring at the man as he hung upside-down. Quickly, Ander came bursting out of the bushes and by the princess' side.

"Y-You tricked me!" The man shouted in disbelief. "How could I be tricked by a little girl?!"

"Guess you should've stayed away from Arendelle, huh?" Thaw said as she picked up the man's fallen ax and slung it over her shoulders, nearly falling over due to the weight.

The man narrowed his eyes. "Well, you won't get anything useful out of me," He claimed.

"Where's my parents?" Thaw asked, picking up the ice pick and pointing it at the man.

The man scoffed. "Oh, you're looking for your mommy and daddy?" He asked. "Well, too bad. The Phoenix blasted them off a cliff. Logic says they're dead!"

Thaw gasped in horror, and her face contorted into shock for a moment. Then, she narrowed her eyes and said, "Lead me to where they last where! Now!"

"Or what?" The man asked, acting nonchalant.

The man was disturbed when the princess suddenly gained a malicious grin. Raising the ax, she said, "Or else I'll cut if off."

The man looked creeped out. "Cut what off?" He asked, shifting his eyes.

"I'll cut _it_ off," Thaw said, flashing the man a toothy smile.

The man shook his head in disbelief. "You're bluffing," He said, trying to swing away from the princess. "You're bluffing!"

"Oh yeah?" Thaw asked, and she raised the ax in the air. She took aim, and brought the ax down.

And swiftly sliced half of his mustache off.

"No!" The man shouted in horror as his facial hair was severed. The sound of the ax piercing the ground echoed through the forest.

The man stared at the princess, absolute shock in his face. "You _monster_ ," He whispered, staring at the girl in hatred.

"You going to bring me to my destination, or do you want your mouth to have a stub on it?" Thaw asked, raising the ax in the air again.

"Alright!" The man surrendered, and the princess sliced through the rope, causing the man to fall onto the ground. He quickly picked himself up, and Thaw aimed the ax at him.

"Move," She ordered, and she and the man quickly began walking through the forest, Ander following close behind.

As they did, none of them noticed a glowing red bird watching them from above the trees.

* * *

Elsa sat in her bed, unmoving, still chilled by her argument with Thaw.

The bitter words that had been hurled at each other still clung to Elsa's mind, almost as if she were reliving the incident. Both of them had said things to each other that they were sure to regret.

 _"You're a little girl who has barely ever left this kingdom, and has no idea what it's like to be queen!"_

That was the word Elsa regretted the most. There was no doubt that insult, spawned by anger, had bred what Thaw had said next.

 _"I'm not the woman who shut her sister out for thirteen years! I'm not the woman who abandoned her kingdom and had to literally be dragged back in chains before she could fix the problem that she started! I'm not the woman who never listens to anyone else and only thinks about herself!"_

The furious words struck Elsa like a cold fist. She couldn't help but wonder if this was truly what her niece thought of her?

 _"I may be the only person in this kingdom who thinks that maybe we shouldn't be trusting you to defend this kingdom from threats!"_

That last sentence stung Elsa the most. But there was a bitter truth to it, as if Thaw had pulled Elsa's inner thoughts out of her and hurled it at her face. She wondered if Thaw was right all along.

Maybe she couldn't protect Arendelle.

Elsa was snapped out of her thoughts when the door swung open. Spinning around, she saw Agni at the door, a panicked expression on her face.

"What the-"

"Thaw ran away!" Agni shouted at her, a horrified and concerned look on her face.

"What?" Elsa asked, horrified, springing out of bed.

"She said that she didn't trust you to save her parents, so she ran off to find them herself!" Agni said to her, pulling her hair in anguish. "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen. She ran off into the forest, and nobody can find her! I'm worried that she may be in danger!"

Before Agni could say another word, Elsa ran up to her. "I have to find her!" She said, terrified of the possibility that the Phoenix may have her niece.

Already beginning to dash out the door, Elss said to the other queen, "I'm going to find my niece! Tell the others that Kai is in charge until I come back!"

"Are you sure, Queen Elsa?" Agni asked for confirmation.

"I've been in these forests before!" Elsa reassured her. "I can find and protect her the best. Now please, don't try and stop me! I have to find Thaw!" With that, she dashed out down the hallway, her cape whipping through the air as she ran.

Agni watched her run. As she did, a sly grin appeared on her face as her eyebrows furrowed.

It wouldn't be long now, she thought to herself.

Now, the countdown to their battle would begin.

* * *

 _If you see it, review it!  
_

 _Also, The Phoenix/Agni's backstory will be revealed in due time!_


	23. Truth Unveiled

_MHS0501: Okay, I'm going to be honest: I find the "woman is evil because a man rejected her" to be cliche, overdone, and rather petty considering the scope of her actions._

 _The 379th Hero: Thank you._

 _Guest: First of all: stop being a dick. Second of all: stop being a spoiled brat. Third of all: whining about how much you hate this story isn't going to make me regret writing it, and it's only making yourself look bad._

 _Korrasami 88: Not long, actually._

 _Antha1: Actually, the other royals aren't allied to her._

 _Miaka: It was supposed to be funny._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: I'm honestly surprised so few people realized that Agni was the Phoenix. I mean, the answer was right on the cover._

 _Nlgirl17: Okay then._

 _I am a burglar: She was revealed as the Phoenix two chapters ago._

* * *

Elsa raced off from the castle, pushing past startled bystanders as she headed to the forest. A few men and women innocently asked what she was doing outside of the castle, but Elsa ignored them. The only person on her mind was Thaw.

How could she have been so foolish? She knew how impulsive her niece could be, especially in moments of emotional turmoil. She should have kept a closer eye on her, or maybe had a guard survey her.

But she hadn't. And now all of her family members were gone.

This was her fault, and she had to fix it. If she didn't act quickly, her entire family could fall to the Phoenix.

She stopped when she realized she was at the edge of the forest. She turned around to see her castle, a good distance away. She hoped it remained protected in her absence.

As the Queen prepared to enter the forest, she stopped when she realized she had no idea how to track down Thaw. If she simply ran into the woods, she'd end up as lost as her family.

"What to do, what to do?" She repeated to herself, when one of Thaw's suggestions after their last conversation suddenly entered her mind.

Elsa sighed. "I can't believe I'm doing this," She said to herself, noting the irony of her next actions. However, she shoved the thought to the back of her mind, and proceeded to summon three snow birds out of thin air. They're platinum wings flapped in the air above Elsa's head.

"Fly up into the sky, and go find my niece," She commanded to the three snow birds. Instantly, the three birds soared overhead over the woods in search of Thaw. Given how high they were flying, finding Thaw would hopefully take a few minutes at the most.

Elsa followed the birds into the woods. As she did, she didn't notice Agni watching her from afar.

"Oh Elsa, you're so naive," The Queen whispered as she watched the Queen race off into the woods.

A small fire bird soared to the Phoenix's head, silently relaying where Thaw was headed.

Agni grinned. She knew it wouldn't take long for Elsa to locate Thaw in the woods, but even then, she knew she could beat Elsa to the cliff and reach Thaw before the Queen did.

"Go and tell the others," She commanded to the fire bird. The bird cawed, and soared off into the woods. Once it was gone, Agni turned around to make sure nobody was watching. Then, she dove out of the window.

As she was reaching the ground, Agni released a burst of fire onto the ground that lightened her fall. She landed on her feet, and briefly took note of the fact that, unlike Elsa, she didn't wear high heels, precisely for situations like this.

Then, with a stunning burst of speed, Agni dashed into the woods to return to the very cliff where she had seemingly disposed of Anna and Kristoff.

She trusted that Flint would excuse her sudden disappearance.

After all, his daughter's life depended on it.

* * *

"We're here!" The man said to Thaw as he led her to the cliff where Anna and Kristoff had discovered Agni's dreadful secret. The princess continued to hold the axe to the man's back as she forced him forward.

"What happened here?" Thaw demanded to the man as she looked around. She saw that a tree had been knocked over, so surely a struggle had ensued.

"Your parents destroyed the Phoenix's mask," The man explained to Thaw. "Then, they got knocked off this cliff."

Thaw's eye glittered a bit, and she briefly took her eyes off the man and turned her head to the cliff side. She saw that the fall was long, even if there was a blanket of snow to cushion the fall.

"If the fall didn't kill them, the fire bird certainly did," The man pointed out to the young princess.

"Shut up!" Thaw growled at the man, and held the axe up to the man. The man held his hands up in defense.

Thaw lowered the axe, and heaved. Then, she took off from the man and ran to the edge of the cliff and looked down, trying to see how long the fall was to try and judge her parents' chance of survival.

The man briefly wondered if the princess had forgotten about him, and was about to take the opportunity to run, when Ander rammed into his stomach, knocking him over.

Out of the corner of her eye, Thaw saw a flash of orange off in the distance. Looking up, she saw a blur of orange flying through the foggy air, and she knew instantly that it was a fire bird.

So that must mean the Phoenix must be near.

The princess' skin paled, and she was about to run in the direction of the castle, but she stopped when she saw a pair of glowing red eyes staring at her. The princess gasped and backed away as a lava man lumbered out of the forest. As she watched, two others walked out from behind her.

A group of normal men soon appeared out of the shadows and leered at the girl. "So, this is the princess of Arendelle," One of the men sneered at her. The men made a circle around the girl.

"Get back!" Thaw threatened, swinging her axe defensively.

"Little girls shouldn't be holding axes," One man growled. The princess' anger flared, and she whirled upon the man, bringing the axe down. However, the man side-stepped out of the way, and the princess landed on her face in the snow, the axe flying out of her hands and landing in the ground.

"No," Thaw whispered as she got to her feet to see one man pick the axe up. She felt a large, hard hand grip her as she was hoisted into the air by a lava man.

"Let me go!" She shouted, thrashing in the lava man's grip, but it was no use. Ander rammed into the lava man's leg, but two men grabbed the small reindeer and restrained it.

As the fire bird soared above the sky, one man said to the princess, "The Phoenix is here."

Thaw stopped thrashing, and she became still. She looked around, feeling twinge of fear, but also jubilation at the same time.

She was actually going to see the Phoenix, face to face, and without the warlord's mask as well.

In the woods, a voice whispered, "Princess Thaw."

Thaw froze, feeling as if she recognized the voice somehow. Along with the men, she turned around to face the direction of voice. She could vaguely see a figure begin to emerge from the forest.

However, the princess was surprised to see that the figure looked. . . female in appearance.

As the Phoenix emerged from the shadows and made herself known, Thaw felt the breath get ripped from her lungs.

". . . Agni?" She whispered, almost choking on her words.

"Hello, Princess Thaw," Queen Agni said in a sweet, but somewhat dark, tone of voice.

* * *

"Agni's your sister?" Kristoff spluttered out to Christian as Olaf and Dawn returned to the cave. "How is that possible?"

Well, she's not my blood sister," Christian pointed out to Kristoff and Anna. "She was adopted into the family when I was just a lad."

"Wow, Agni used to live here?" Olaf said, settling down. "That's so good."

"You may want to stay away from the fire," Diane warned the snowman, who took no notice.

"This. . . this doesn't make any sense!" Anna said to Christian. "Agni can't be your sister! She lives in Arcturus! She's the Queen of Arcturus!"

"Now, I know this is a lot to take in," Christian explained to Anna and Kristoff. "But it's the truth. Agni was a little girl my age when we first came upon her. We took pity on her and took her in. It was only afterwards that we learned she wasn't just an ordinary little girl."

Kristoff sighed. "What happened?" He asked. "If Agni's from Arcturus, how did she get to Arendelle as a little girl?"

Christian was about to say something, but then his father spoke up, saying, "None of us no."

"But we can find out," A new voice said. It was Grand Pabbie.

"Pabbie," Kristoff started.

"I've been around for a long time," The old troll explained to the humans. "I may not have the power to stop Agni, but I may be able to help you all understand her."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked.

"I can look into her past," Pabbie explained. "I can show you her childhood, and how she came to be. Watch."

As everyone in the cave watched on, Pabbie whirled his arms around, and a blinding white light glimmered, illuminating the cave. Christian and his family nearly looked away, but they were compelled to keep watching.

"Within this Fire Queen, I sense great malevolence," Grand Pabbie whispered. "But I also sense great anger, and bitterness. . . and sorrow."

As the light expanded, Grand Pabbie whispered, "I will show you all. . . Queen Agni of Arcturus' past."

With that, the light consumed them all.

* * *

 _Backstory time coming up next chapter!_

 _If you see it, review it!_


	24. A Tale Woven in Fire (Part I)

_Strange and proud of it: First, we have a backstory._

 _MHS0501: Great._

 _Korrasami 88: You'll find out, just not now._

 _Miaka: Okay then._

 _The 379th Hero: Really?_

 _Nlgirl17: Thanks._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: I don't remember you kissing her._

 _Antha1: Um... what? I wasn't hinting that Agni was Flint's daughter. Heck, she's OLDER than him._

 _Disliked story: You do know this story is for mature people, not toddlers._

 _I am a burglar: It's probably burn down your cage._

 _A/N: This backstory may take a few chapters. Just throwing that out there._

* * *

 ** _A Tale Woven in Fire (Part I)_**

* * *

Arcturus was a sizable kingdom that rested in the middle of the North Sea. It had been formed nearly a century ago by King Frederick I, and had only grown in the years that had passed on.

At this point in time, Arcturus was ruled by King Frederick IV and his wife, Queen Reine. Together, the two had given birth to a single child, a daughter.

When she was born, the girl was beloved by those who laid eyes upon her. She was the most beautiful child in the kingdom, the king had some. Some said she was a gift from the heavens itself, come to bless this kingdom.

But little did they know, this young child was harboring a dark secret, a secret that would change the kingdom itself.

For the child's name was Agni.

* * *

Princess Agni stood at the window of her room, looking down at the townspeople below her as they went about their day, oblivious that the they were being watched by the lonely nine year old girl.

Agni let out a sigh as she stared at the townspeople below her. Everyday, she watched them, wondering just what it was like to live the life of a peasant. Over time, she'd come to memorize some of their faces.

There was the old shopkeeper whose shop rested near the castle gates. And next to him was a merchant and his son, who always went off to visit some woman for whatever reason. There were also a few other people of little importance, like the portly woman whose house rested a distance away from the kingdom.

Of course, Agni had never traveled that far away from the castle. Her mother forbade it. She'd never met many of these people in person.

However, for Agni, that wasn't much of a problem.

A small sparrow, its feathers gleaming with yellow and orange, soared over the townspeople and towards the window where Agni stood. It chewed as it hovered at the window in front of Agni.

"Hey Phoenix," Agni greeted the small bird as it flapped its wings in front of her. "Did you hear anything interesting?"

The small, orange bird chirped a bit, and Agni giggled and whispered, "Mr. Henderson is talking about what he'd do if he was the king again?" The bird chirped once more, and Agni added, "He wouldn't get himself married with that attitude." She laughed a bit.

Agni's thoughts were shattered when she heard her mother call out, "Princess Agni! Who are you talking to?"

Agni gasped, and quickly, she pulled her hands over the Phoenix. Instantly, the bird vanished into a puff of smoke.

Just then, the door swung open, and Agni turned around to see the stern face of Queen Reine. Agni's mother stormed over to her, and said, "Princess Agni, who were you talking to?"

"Nothing, mother!" Agni said, quickly.

"Willard said he saw an orange bird flying over the kingdom, Agni," Queen Reine snapped to her, her stare boring into Agni's soul. The princess tried to say something, but didn't.

"Princess Agni, what did we say about keeping your fire powers hidden?" Reine scolded her. "The townspeople are already getting suspicious. Do you not hear what they say?"

Agni looked to the floor, avoiding her mother's gaze. She bit her lip, not wanting to talk back.

"Agni, do you want to tarnish your parents good name?!" Reine chastised her daughter. When Agni didn't answer, Reine roughly grabbed her daughter by the arms and shook her, saying, "Answer me, girl!"

"N-No," Agni whispered, shaking. Reine finally released her daughter, and said, "I told you to wear these gloves for a reason, Agni."

"Mommy, I don't want to wear gloves," Agni blurted out, saying what she had been thinking for some time.

"Agni!" Queen Reine shouted at her, and Agni recoiled in fear. Before either could say anything else, King Frederick strode to the door and said, "Queen Reine, you may leave now."

Reine turned to face her husband. "Frederick-"

"I will talk to our daughter," He interrupted, stroking his brown beard. "Alone."

Reine gave one last look at her daughter, and exited the room, passing Frederick. Once she was gone, the king turned to his daughter, who sat on her bed, hugging herself.

"Princess Agni," King Frederick said, striding up to his daughter.

Before he could say anything, Agni looked up and said, "Why do I have to be such a freak, father?! Why was I born like this?"

"My daring, nobody is control of how we are born," King Frederick said as he walked up to his daughter. Resting a hand on her shoulder, he said, "It is up to the Lord himself to decide. All we can do is accept who we are, for what we are."

"But father, I'm the only one in the kingdom who can do this," Agni said. Suddenly, without even taking off her gloves, Agni summoned a ball of glowing fire in the palm of her hands. The fire crackled and glimmered, but her hands didn't burn. King Frederick stared at the ball of fire, his expression not changing.

"Was it really His will that I be born with this?" Agni asked as the ball of fire disappeared. "What possible purpose could this be for?"

"Everyone has a purpose, Agni," King Frederick said, and gave his daughter a warm smile. Agni looked away, still forlorn. Finally, Frederick said, "Hey, why don't you go play with Willard's son, Flint. He's been aching to see you for days."

Agni looked up, and a smile crossed her face. "Thank you, father!" She said, springing up. Then, she rushed out of the room, Frederick watching her leave.

Little did she know, what would follow would change her life.

* * *

"Flint, slow down!" Agni said as she pursued Flint through the castle yards in a game of tag. The younger boy laughed as he dodged out of Agni's arms as she closed in on him.

Flint was the son of King Frederick's adviser Willard. He was two years younger than Agni, but was already nearly as tall as her. Despite the slight age gap, Flint was Agni's only real friend, especially since their father's were so close.

"Got you!" Agni shouted as she suddenly spun around and cut Flint off. However, he unexpectedly sidestepped out of the way, and Agni collapsed onto the ground on her face.

"Ow," She said, her nails digging into the ground.

"Sorry, Ag," Flint said as he grabbed Agni by the arm and helped her to her feet. The princess brushed the dirt off her dress and pulled her dress up.

"So, my dad said you made another bird," Flint said. "That sounds so cool."

Being only seven, Flint didn't fully comprehend Agni's hidden secret. At this point, Agni had primarily used her powers to create fire birds; she hadn't done much else.

"Yeah," Agni said, biting her lower lip and turning away. "Did a lot of people see that?"

Flint frowned, and said, "My dad said you're a freak."

Agni suddenly snapped her gaze over to stare at Flint, who backed away. He didn't know why, but he felt the air temperature begin to rise in the yard. He could feel sweat begin to drip down his forehead and neck.

"I'm not a freak," Agni said bluntly, and she turned briskly and began to walk away, leaving Flint.

Despite walking with her head held high, Agni could feel some people staring at her through the open gates. She pretended not to notice some of the townspeople whispering to each other as she started to walk towards to castle gates.

"Is that the princess, Agni?"

"My father says he saw smoke coming from her room last night."

"The high adviser says that girl's a work of the Devil."

Agni felt her palms getting sweaty, and she started to walk faster towards the castle gates. She couldn't stand to be outside any longer, with all these people watching her!

"That girl is hiding something, I tell you," One man whispered, though Agni could still hear him. "There's something strange about her."

"Shut up," Agni whispered, even though she knew nobody could hear her. She stopped for a moment, wrapping her arms around herself and narrowing her eyes.

At that point, Flint walked towards the castle yards and said, "Hey, leave her alone, will you! That's no way to talk to the princess!"

Agni felt somewhat uplifted that Flint was standing up for her, but her mood turned sour when the same man felt the urge to retort, "That's no princess! That's a demon!"

Flint suddenly picked up a stone, and hurled it at the offending man. Agni heard the stone hit flesh, and a cry of pain. As she began to turn around, she caught a look at the man, and recognized him. It was the man who often went to the tavern and got drunk.

Clearly, the drinks had gotten to his head.

"You foul child!" The man shouted angrily at Flint, and he took a few threatening steps towards the castle gates. A few guards began to rush out, but they weren't fast enough.

The man suddenly tumbled through the gates, and his two large hands reached out for Flint, who began to back away in terror. "I'll teach you a lesson, you rotten child!"

 _"No!"_

There was a blast of yellow light. The man looked up just in time to see a ball of fire, soaring straight at his face. The man straightened up, his eyes unfocused, and the fire struck his chest.

The townspeople let out a gasp of shock. The man screamed in agony as the fire seared his clothing, exposing his chest, which was turning red. He collapsed on the ground, clutching his burning chest.

The townspeople looked down at the man as he writhed on the ground. Then, slowly, they looked up to see Agni, who stood, frozen, at the gates. Her hands were stuck out in front of her chest, and they could see steam emitting from her hands.

Slowly, the princess looked down at her hands which had summoned the fire. Her gloves had been scorched off, exposing her bare hands. As realization sunk in, Agni whispered, _"Oh, no."_

As she looked up to see the townspeople staring at her, she saw one man whisper, "So, it's true."

"That girl commands hellfire!" A woman accused, pointing a finger at the young girl. "She really _is_ a demon!'

"No, I'm not!" Agni shouted, and she took a few steps down the stairs towards the townspeople. As she neared them, however, the men and women present all screamed out in terror and began to flee.

"No, come back!" Agni pleaded as the townspeople fled from her. At that point, Willard had rushed out, having seen the event from afar, and he grabbed Flint and scooped him up into the air. As he stared at the drunk man, injured and laying on the ground, he turned to Agni and whispered, "I knew it was only a matter of time.'

Then, he dashed off, carrying Flint with him. Agni watched the two race back to the castle, and she knew that Willard would no doubt tell her parents what had happened.

And he did.

* * *

After word got out, Agni had been confined to her room by her parents. The castle gates had been shut, and it was beginning to turn dark outside.

Agni had never felt more hot. As she sat in bed, rubbing her arms, she felt the blanket covers beginning to turn hard. As she looked down, she saw that the bed covers were beginning to turn to hardened molten lava.

Agni gritted her teeth, and the molten lava slowly vanished. She stood up from her bed and walked towards the window. Summoning the courage to peer outside, she saw that a group of people were standing in the town square. Willard was among them.

Agni didn't even want to hear what they were saying, and she immediately retreated from the window.

"This is terrible," She whispered to herself. There was no hiding it, now. The kingdom knew her secret. That drunk man's burns were proof.

Agni sunk down by the wall, tapping her feet. As she did, she thought she could hear her parents, talking to each other from within their bedroom.

Curiously, Agni stood up and walked to the door. Despite her father's orders, Agni twisted the doorknob and opened the door. Once she was in the hallway, she quickly walked down the hallway. As she did, she passed by a few servants.

Though she tried to ignore it, she could hear the words in their mouths as they passed her.

 _Monster. Witch. Demon. Abomination._

As Agni neared her parents bedroom, she heard Reine say, rather loudly, to Frederick, "This has gone on for far too long, Frederick!"

"Please Reine, you must understand," Frederick said from within the bedroom. "Our daughter may not be normal, but that is no reason to love her any less!'

Agni stood at the door, and pressed her ear against it to hear what they were saying.

"You can't keep excusing this!" Reine snapped to her husband. "The kingdom already knows! Our daughter is a-"

"Don't say it!" Frederick suddenly bellowed, and Agni was shocked to hear anger in her father's voice. He hardly ever rose his voice, especially to his wife.

A silence followed, before Reine said, bitter, "I wanted a son. Instead, we got this. . . _thing_.'

"It's our daughter, Reine," Frederick said, offended. "Why can't you love and accept her? That's all she's ever wanted."

"I don't care what she wants," Reine retorted angrily. "I care about this kingdom's future. And that thing may very well be the end of it."

As the two spoke, they were oblivious to their daughter, on the other side of the door. She slowly slunk down, each word from her mother piercing her soul. She hugged her legs and buried her head in her knees.

"We have to do something about that child," Reine said, unaware that her daughter was listening. "We can't have her run amok in this kingdom with those hellish powers."

"No, Reine," Frederick said, firmly. "She's our daughter. We can't treat her like a monster, powers or not. We knew eventually the kingdom would find out, and we'll just have to accept that. If they don't like it, so be it."

"Your father would be ashamed," Reine sneered. A tense silence followed, and Reine finally whispered, "If you won't do something about that child, _I_ will."

Agni tensed up as she heard that last sentence. For the first time in forever, she felt a chilly feeling. What did her mother mean?

As fearful as she was, she pushed the thought out of her mind. This was her mother, after all. She didn't really mean what she said.

Surely, she didn't hate her own daughter.

As the thoughts weighed in her mind, Agni silently whispered to herself, "Conceal, don't feel."

* * *

 ** _End of Part I_**

* * *

 _Read and review._


	25. A Tale Woven in Fire (Part II)

_MHS0501: It's mainly coincidence._

 _Antha1: Sorry, typo. I fixed it._

 _I am a burglar: How can you steal someone's powers?_

 _The 379th Hero: Eh._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: I did._

 _Strange and proud of it: That was the reaction I hoped you'd have._

 _Nlgirl17: Regarding your other review, I have deleted most of his reviews, but I may have let that one slip._

 _Korrasami 88: Oh?_

 _Miaka: Well, here it is._

* * *

 ** _A Tale Woven in Fire (Part II)_**

* * *

A few days later, the King went off on a trip to discuss trade regulations.

Agni was confined the castle by her mother, not allowed to even set foot outside. It was dreadfully boring, constricted to her castle and not allowed to get any fresh air. Normally, she'd have sent a fire bird outside to see what was happening with the townspeople, but now that her powers had been exposed, she was much to scared to try something like that.

Worse, Willard absolutely refused to let his son visit Agni, not wishing for Finn to be hurt by the "monster". And most of the staff refused to acknowledge Agni's presence, though she figured it was probably for the best.

The young princess had never felt so alone, so isolated. The knowledge that she had been exposed for what she really was weighed heavily upon her shoulders, and it crushed her. How could she go on, knowing that everyone around her regarded her as a freak, a monster?

What would happen when she became queen? Would the people still accept her, or would they turn on her and dethrone her?

"Stop it," She whispered to herself. After all, powers or not, she was still the princess of Arcturus. Her parents would protect her if the people tried to harm her. . . wouldn't they?

During one of her silent moments by herself, she received a visit. She was surprised to see that it was her mother. She was holding a glass of water.

"Princess Agni," Reine whispered when she walked into the room. Her shadow engulfed Agni in darkness, and the young princess slowly pulled herself onto the bed, somewhat intimidated. What was her mother here for.

"The people are talking about you," She said, closing the door slowly. "They're saying really nasty things about you."

Agni's pupils shrunk, and her mouth slowly opened, but no sound came out. She looked to the floor in shame.

Unexpectedly, her mother said, "But regardless of what the people say, I just want you to know that you're my daughter, and I love you."

Agni's golden eyes widened, and she looked up at her mother. "Do you mean that?" She asked, a spark of optimism glowing in her heart. Could it be that her mother had come to accept her, powers or not.

"You haven't drunk anything all day, Agni," Reine whispered to her, and held out the glass drink. "Care to try something."

Agni paused for a moment, looking up at her mother. For a moment, she was dubious, but she shoved the thought out of her mind. It was just a glass of water, after all...

She took the glass and drank it.

A few moments later, her world faded into darkness.

* * *

When Agni awoke, she was instantly struck with the realization that her surroundings were different than usual.

The walls were dark and brown, the only source of light being the window that shed light in the darkness. The room was also tiny, with barely any room for Agni to move around in.

"Where. . . where am I?" The young princess whispered, and she stood up to try and move, only to be yanked back. It was only then that she realized that her hands were chained down, restraining her.

"What?" She asked, immediately panicking as she realized that she was no longer in the castle. "What's going on? Where am I?"

It was then she heard a splash of water, and she slowly turned to stare out the window. Her eyes widened in shock and horror when she saw that she was out to sea. Realization dawned upon her, and she knew instantly that she was confined within a ship.

Unbridled panic and rage overwhelmed the princess, and her chained arms slammed against the walls, trying to free herself. "Hey!" She shouted out as she banged on the walls. "What's going on? Where am I?!"

After a few minutes that seemed like an eternity, her cries were answered. The door to her cell creaked open, and a man that Agni faintly recognized strode into the room. It took a few moments for Agni to realize that he was a member of the kingdom's navy, though she didn't know his name.

"Where am I?" Agni asked frantically. "What's going on? Why am I in chains?"

The man shushed her. "Glad to see you're awake, princess," He said coolly. His sharp eyes were narrowed at her.

"What's going on?!" Agni cried out impatiently.

"We're out to sea, Agni," The captain explained to the young princess. "We're taking you away to somewhere else so you won't be a problem for us. You're banished, princess."

Agni's eyes widened in horror. "My parents will find out about this!" She cried out in an attempt to intimidate the man. "They'll find out it was you. You'll be-"

"The Queen ordered it."

Agni's next words caught in her throat. All at once, her blood became chilly, and she was paralyzed with shock. Slowly, she choked out, "W-What?"

"Queen Reine knew that the kingdom wouldn't stand for having a _monster_ like you as the future ruler of this kingdom," The captain sneered at her. "So she knew she had to get rid of you. But supposedly, she couldn't find it in her heart to simply kill you, so she's simply sending you off to a far off place so you'll be forgotten. In my opinion, I don't know if I'd ever be so merciful."

The words struck Agni like a granite fist. The Queen, _her mother_ , was the one who had commanded this. The words she had spoken to her in her room, right before she blacked out. . . were they all lies?

"But my mother said she loved me, for me," Agni said, and she could feel her eyes begin to water.

"She must've to let a creature like you live, knowing just what you are. . ." The captain said. "When this is all done though, perhaps she'll have a new child, one who isn't a-"

Shut up!" Agni shouted at him, and she lunged at him, but her chains held her back. Tears of anger began to stream down her cheeks as her emotions overtook her mind. The tears dropped onto the ground, and both Agni and the captain saw that the tears were the color of lava.

"Look at you!" The man shouted at her. "Even your tears are red! You're inhuman, child, the work of something demonic!"

"I-I'm not!" Agni shouted at him, struggling against her chains. "I want to go home!"

"What will you come back to?" The man asked her. "A mother who doesn't love you, a kingdom that doesn't want you. . . you have no home!"

Agni gritted her teeth. She could feel her hands begin to burn within her chains. For once, the fire _hurt_ her. She looked to the floor, her eyes clenched shut "Release me!"

"Agni-"

"I. . . I said RELEASE ME!"

What happened next was a blur. Agni's head whipped up to stare at him, her eyes ablaze. Immediately, the man's cocky expression was changed to that of absolute terror as he saw fire in her eyes. Suddenly, the fire almost seemed to shoot out of her eyes, and engulfed the man. Within seconds, the man had been burned to a crisp.

Instantly, something within the core of Agni's heart _exploded._ All that had happened to her. . . her mother's betrayal, her exile. . . they had triggered something within the young princess.

With a scream of rage, Agni broke free of her chains, which were burned down by her flames. The young princess landed on all fours, and she could feel her skin begin to burn hot, so hot that she felt like she was on fire.

Her pain, coupled with her own anguish, released a wave of fire within the room. Instantly, the walls, ceilings, and floorboards caught on fire, and it only spread throughout the ship.

Agni could see some men coming, clearly alerted by the fire. "What's going on?" One man asked as he ran to the cell. The moment he and Agni made eye contact, the princess screamed and looked away from the man. Not being able to stand the man looking at her, Agni summoned a wall of fire, and the man was engulfed in flames.

Agni's nails bit into the wooden floors, and instantly, the fire expanded in size, quickly overtaking the entire ship itself. Agni could hear the screams of the crew from all around the ship as the fire overwhelmed them. Within her own cell, the walls and ceilings, severely damaged by the fire, began to collapse around the princess.

Before Agni could shield herself, she was buried under the rubble.

* * *

When Agni awoke, she was lying on a large piece of wood, floating through the sea. She could hear seagulls above her, flying in the sky.

Slowly, the former princess looked over behind her, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw the utter wreckage before her. The ship had completely collapsed from the fire, and the remains of the ship floated at sea, the water having put out the fire.

She saw no signs of the crew, and she figured that they had either perished in the fire or drowned at sea. Either way, she was completely alone.

Before Agni could properly access her chances of survival, she saw land nearby. She could vaguely sea a kingdom, and for a moment, she hoped it was Arcturus. However, after a moment, she realized that it was a different kingdom, and all hope of reaching her home vanished.

Nevertheless, she floated towards the land, using whatever strength she had left to swim to the best of her ability. She was severely weakened after her explosion of energy on the ship, and it was taking up much of her strength to stay conscious, let alone swim.

After several minutes that seemed like an eternity, she finally reached the shores of land, and a wave of relief flooded her mind. Slowly, she crawled onto land, and got to her feet after catching her breath.

Though she was relieved to be alive, she wasn't truly happy. As she looked back in the direction of the wreckage of the ship, she realized just how alone she was. Her parents, her home. . . they were all gone. She had been taken from everything she loved in less than a day.

As Agni trudged through the forest, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Her mother, _her mother_ , had banished her from her home and cast her off to an uncertain future. She had never lived outside the castle. . . how was she supposed to survive without a family to provide for her?

Not only that, but her response had been to destroy the ship and everyone on it. She hadn't meant to, but. . . they were dead because of her and her powers. Maybe the kingdom was right. Maybe her powers were destructive, and the work of something demonic.

Eventually, exhausted, Agni lay down against a tree, and hugged her knees. She buried her head in her hands, letting tears pour out. Unlike before, these tears weren't red. They were blue.

She cried. She cried for the home which she had now lost. She cried for the betrayal that had broken her heart, from which would never be repaired. She cried for the evil things she had done on the ship.

But most of all, she cried because she was alone.

Alone and unloved by a cruel world that didn't want her.

* * *

A man wandered through the forest, holding a lantern for him to sea.

He had faintly heard the sound of crying, and for a moment disregarded it as his own imagination. However, when the crying continued, he knew he had to investigate to see what was going on.

Slowly, the man crept through the forest as he neared the sounds of the sobbing. She found that the crying was coming from behind a tree.

Slowly, the man put away the lantern, and walked up towards the tree. As he looked around her, he was surprised to see a little girl, drenched in water and covered in mud, crouched against the tree, sobbing.

"What?" The man asked in shock. "Who are you?"

The girl sniffed, and slowly wiped her eyes clean before looking up at the man.

"Who are you?" The man asked, confused. The young girl paused for a moment, as if she was unsure how to answer. For a second, the man wondered if the girl had a name.

Finally, the girl responded.

"Agni."

* * *

 _ **End of Part II**_

* * *

 _If you see it, review it._


	26. A Tale Woven in Fire (Part III)

_Strange and proud of it: Indeed._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Yep._

 _The 379th Hero: You don't say._

 _Miaka: He is._

 _I am a burglar: *sigh*_

 _Korrasami 88: Oh, really?_

 _Nlgirl17: Great._

 _Antha1: Yeah..._

 _Resilient Heart of a Queen: Uh-huh._

* * *

 _ **A Tale Woven in Fire (Part III)**_

* * *

When Christian's father Jonathan returned home that night, his family was shocked to see that he was not alone.

"Father, who's that?" The eight year old Christian asked as, right behind Jonathan, a young girl around his age trudged timidly behind him. Her dress was soaking wet and her hair was matted to her face and shoulders, slightly concealing her face.

"It's a child," Jonathan explained to Christian and his mother. "I found her, alone in the woods. She said she didn't know where she was. . . I couldn't just abandon her."

Christian, curious, walked up to the young girl. The girl avoided his eye contact, mud dripping from her hair. In spite of how dirty she was, Christian put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "What's your name?"

It took a few moments, but the girl finally replied with, "A-Agni."

"That's a beautiful name," Christian said to her, mainly in an attempt to brighten the girl's mood. Despite this, Agni simply frowned even more. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and Christian backed up, not knowing if he'd offended the child.

As Christian's mother, Flora, approached the girl, Agni briefly hurried towards the fireplace. She let the fire warm her skin and allow the mud and water to dry away. She breathed deeply, and let out a sigh. Then, she sat down, not making a sound.

For a moment, the family simply stared at the little girl as she sat before the fire. Agni's golden eyes gazed at the fire, dully, almost as if the only things in the room were her and it. For a brief moment, Christian wondered if she'd forgotten they were even here.

"Um, hello," He said, mustering up the courage to approach Agni from behind.

Suddenly, Agni recoiled from the fire and turned to stare at him, her eyes filled with terror. Christian backed away.

"Where are you from?" Flora asked the young girl, helping her to her feet. "Are you from the kingdom nearby?"

Agni looked to the ground, and sniffed. "No," She confessed to them. "I'm from another kingdom. I was shipped here, by bad men."

"What happened to your parents?" Flora asked the girl.

Agni was about to open her mouth to respond, but then she closed it. Shutting her eyes tight, she eventually whispered, "I have no parents." She turned away from Flora, not wanting her to see the tears streaming from her eyes. She wiped them away quickly.

"Aw, you poor little girl," Flora said, wrapping her arms around Agni despite how dirty she was. "Don't worry. We'll take care of you."

Agni's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?" She stammered out in disbelief. She pulled herself out of Flora's grip, and said, "No. You don't want me, believe me. I don't deserve it-"

"No child deserves to be abandoned, Agni," Jonathan said to her, walking up to her. "If you have no parents, we'll gladly take you in."

Agni slowly turned to look at them. "You mean it?" She asked, her golden eyes almost glowing. Flora and Jonathan nodded.

Agni gave a weak smile. Deep down, her heart hadn't truly healed, and it never would, but a ray of light had been shown in the darkness.

* * *

For the next few weeks, the family entered a sort of routine. In the morning, Jonathan, Christian and their adopted daughter, Agni, would go out collecting wood for the cabin. Then, in the afternoon, when Jonathan went off to work, Christian and Agni would either work at home or play near the house.

The two children became close companions fairly quickly. Though Agni was initially timid in her new living conditions, she quickly opened up to having Christian as a playmate. In the afternoon, the two children would go out and play and laugh with each other.

Christian liked to tell Agni stories, though the girl rarely liked to talk about her own past. The family chalked it up to her simply being shy.

They had no idea the secrets Agni was truly concealing from them. Until one day where she inadvertently revealed it to them.

* * *

One day, Agni and Christian saw a wolf.

The two had been playing tag and had wandered away from the cabin when they saw the wild animal. The wolf appeared to have been separated from the rest of its pack, but that didn't stop it from being dangerous.

Agni and Christian hid behind a tree, out of sight from the wolf. "What do we do?" Christian asked nervously. Agni pressed herself against the tree, frightened herself.

The two could hear the sound of the wolf approaching, and they knew instantly that the animal knew it was there. If they didn't act quickly, they would be no doubt mauled or killed.

Agni closed her eyes, and inhaled. What she was about to do next was risky, but it may be the only way to save their lives. Concentrating, and not utilizing her hands, she summoned a small rabbit made out of fire a distance away, in view of the wolf. Distracted, the wolf turned away from the children and started to wander towards the orange rabbit.

Agni breathed heavily. Hopefully, Christian wouldn't notice that she had created the fire rabbit, and he wouldn't suspect it was her.

However, Christian saw the fire rabbit as well, and unwisely blurted out, "Hey, is that thing made out of fire! How is that-" Agni clamped a hand over his mouth to silence him, but it was too late.

The wolf's ear twitched, and it whirled upon the two children, forgetting about the fire rabbit. It lunged through the air, fangs and claws out, aiming for Christian's throat.

"No!" Agni shouted, and she jumped in front of Christian. As the wolf soared towards her, Agni threw her hands in the air, and a wall of fire expanded in front of her. The wolf was incinerated immediately, and crumbled into a pile of ashes on the snowy ground.

Christian gasped in shock at what had just happened. He scrambled away from Agni, who turned to stare at him. She realized in horror that he had seen what she had done.

"C-Christian," She said, walking up to him, her hands outstretched. Christian backed away from her, his mouth agape.

Behind her, Agni heard Jonathan shout out, "Children! What happened?!"

As he ran up to them, Christian jumped to his feet and said, "We got attacked by a wolf, but Agni threw _**fire**_ out of her hands!"

Jonathan looked stunned, until he saw the pile of ashes on the ground. Then, he slowly turned to Agni, his face ghastly pale. As Agni looked into his eyes, she realized that she couldn't keep her new family in the dark any longer.

* * *

Once they returned to the house, Agni explained everything to her adoptive parents and sibling.

She told them about how she was the princess of Arcturus and how she was born with the ability to control fire, and how she was banished by her mother after the kingdom learned of her powers. Throughout it, her family listened intently.

Agni, secretly, almost felt relieved to have someone to explain her past to. After keeping it locked away in her heart, releasing it all to her new family felt like a weight being taken off her shoulders.

However, once she was finished, she felt a new fear. Now that her secret was out, how would her new family respond? Would they react with fear like so many before her. Would they outcast her, like her kingdom did?

Her own birth mother hadn't hesitated to exile her daughter, why would a family that wasn't even related to her accept her?

As Jonathan, Flora, and Christian all stared at Agni in awe, the former princess stood up. "I suppose I must go," She said, already feeling as if she knew how they would respond. "I guess you don't want a freak living among you."

She began to slowly trudge towards the door, but was stopped when Flora said, "Wait. Don't leave."

Agni stopped walking. Turning around, she said, "What?"

"We don't want you to leave," Jonathan said to her, standing up and walking up to her. "You're our daughter."

Agni's eyes widened in shock. "But I'm a freak," She reminded them, in utter disbelief. "I'm a monster. A demon. That's what my kingdom said I was."

"This isn't Arcturus, Agni," Flora said, taking the young princess' hands in her own. "This is Arendelle. What you possess may be something no one else does, but that doesn't make you any less human."

"But my mother told me-"

"If your mother thinks you're a monster, than she's not really your mother," Flora said, slowly pulling Agni into a hug. "A real mother loves and accepts her daughter, even if they're different."

Agni slowly rested her head against Flora's chest. As she did, she felt Christian and Jonathan embrace her tightly as well.

"Don't worry, Agni, your secret is safe with us," Christian whispered into her ear.

And for some time, Agni was truly happy.

* * *

 ** _End of III_**

* * *

 _Read and review._


	27. A Tale Woven in Fire (Part IV)

_Guest: Yeah, but it would seem kind of forced due to all the people she's killed and hurt..._

 _Guest: Eh._

 _Korrasami 88: Thanks._

 _MHS0501: Oh, good. I was writing that part in the night while I was sleepy, so it's good I still managed to put some thought into it._

 _Miaka: Aw... almost makes me wish I didn't make her the villain._

 _Strange and proud of it: Well, let's see._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Can we not bring up my other stories?_

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: She did start a new life._

 _I am a burglar: Indeed._

 _Antha1: Really, how?_

* * *

Agni had spent years living with Christian's family in their small cabin. From her childhood to throughout her adolescence, she was practically a member of the family. She'd met some people, mainly friends of Christian, but she'd never formed strong bonds with them. Whether it was because she wouldn't, or couldn't, she didn't know.

She was no longer the princess of Arcturus. She was a citizen of Arendelle.

Aside from her new family, Agni hadn't shared her fire powers with anyone else. Initially, she'd wanted to suppress them as much as possible, and for a time, she did.

However, as her adolescence took root in her life, Agni's powers had emerged once more, and stronger than before. It was gradual; she hardly noticed or payed attention to it at first. But, as time went on, the teenage girl slowly found herself devoting more time to it.

For longer periods of time, Agni would shut herself off from her family to try small experiments with her life-long abilities. They were minuscule tests at first; things such as lighting a lantern, or making a bird made of fire.

As she neared her late adolescence, however, Agni was growing a little more bold. Once, she encased an entire tree with hardened molten lava. Another time, she briefly encased the entire house in the hardened lava, though she got rid of it soon afterwards.

A few times, Agni would incinerate a random animal that crossed by the cabin, like a fox or a lynx, just to practice combat if she was ever forced into a confrontation.

When she reached her early twenties, Agni had, for the most part, gotten over her fear of her powers, though she still concealed them from those around her.

At times, Agni thought of her former home in Arcturus. Deep down, she did miss her parents, and kingdom, and Flint, even if they'd disowned her. Though she wouldn't admit it, she'd almost been tempted to go back a few times, to see what had transpired in her absence.

However, she never thought she'd ever actually do it.

* * *

It all happened when Elsa ran away from her kingdom.

Agni was twenty two at the time. When her family heard that the new queen was to be coronated, they hadn't bothered to take part in the celebrations. After all, Christian was working later than usual that day, and besides, they lived out in the forest, away from the kingdom. As far as Agni was concerned, what happened in the kingdom had no affect on them.

She was proven wrong.

During the night, the Snow Queen, who Agni vaguely knew was named Elsa, had cursed the land with eternal winter. Not just the kingdom, but the oceans and the forest around it. All of it was coated in ice and snow.

Everyone in the kingdom had been affected by the snow, but none more than Agni.

Despite having fire powers, Agni could handle normal snow. She'd played in the snow during winter for years. It wasn't her favorite season, but she could tolerate it. However, this wasn't normal snow. It was the result of magic.

A magic that directly clashed with her own.

Shortly after the land had been cursed with ice and snow, Agni had felt the effects almost instantaneously. As her surroundings become covered in snow and the temperature around her dropped dramatically, she could feel her skin become bitterly frozen. Her blood ran cold. Her skin paled. And moving was painful.

Her family had noticed how the snow was affecting her, and taken her inside to try and heal her. They quickly deduced that she had gotten hypothermia as a result of the winter, and did everything they could to reduce the effects. They surrounded her with warmth, and shut themselves out from the cold just so she wouldn't be further harmed.

Nothing worked.

The longer the winter was in affect, the worse Agni's hypothermia got. She was bedridden for the entire period, slowly feeling the ice and snow creeping into her skin, almost as if she was feeling the icy touch of the Grim Reaper. Her skin turned blue, and her hair became frozen. Some of it broke off.

Agni had never experienced such horrific agony. She thought for sure that she would die. She'd heard that hypothermia could sometimes be fatal.

At times, Agni could feel her heart temporarily stop, and her breathing cease. Even with her family around her, comforting her and telling her that she would be better, she felt alone and isolated, with her mind being her only company.

In these lonely moments, Agni felt helpless. She felt weak. It was as if her life was being held in the hands of another, toyed with for their amusement.

In the dark recesses of her mind, dark memories resurfaced. She remembered when she was in Arcturus, surrounded by the people who hated and feared her. She remembered how scared and helpless she felt, to be the object of everyone's fear.

Even her parents were afraid of her. So afraid that they cast her off.

The fear swallowed her, and it was reverted into anger and bitterness. Anger at her parents for abandoning her, anger at her kingdom for fearing her.

Anger at the world for creating her like this.

It was at that moment, as she hung over the empty abyss that was Death itself, that she swore that if she survived, she would never let anyone use or abuse her. She had spent her life scared of others, afraid of what they might do to her, but never again.

She would find a way to conquer her fears.

No matter what.

* * *

When Elsa brought an end to the eternal winter and restored summer, Agni had gotten better. The hypothermia left her, and in a few days time, Agni was back to normal.

However, during her time at Death's cross-rows, she had made an important decision.

She was going home. Back to Arcturus.

"Do you really have to go?" Flora asked Agni as she prepared to leave. In the years that had passed, she and her husband had aged. Their blonde hair had begun to turn gray, and Agni could see a few aging spots.

"I have to see my parents again," Agni explained to her family. "It's been 13 years, mom. It's time I go back to them, and to Arcturus."

Her parents nodded sadly. They truly had loved Agni like a daughter, even if she wasn't their own. It was sad that she had to go, but they knew she was old enough to make her own decisions now.

"Is there anything you'd want to take before you leave?" Jonathan asked. Agni shook her head, saying, "Keep whatever you have."

It was then that she noticed that she hadn't seen Christian. Ever since she explained that she was returning to Arcturus, he'd left and she hadn't known where he'd gone. It was a little sad that he wouldn't be there to bid her goodbye.

However, just as she thought this, she felt two hands grip her shoulders from behind. She spun around, and shrieked.

She saw a man, wearing a mask in the shape of a golden bird. Before she could say anything though, the man removed his mask to reveal it was Christian.

"When I heard you were going, I thought I'd give you something before you left," He said quickly, and handed Agni the bird mask. The young woman stared at it, and ran her fingers along its beak.

"I noticed you liked birds a lot, so I made this for you," He said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh," Agni said, and lowered the mask. "Thanks, Christian. I'll be sure to remember you."

Christian smiled. Suddenly, Agni wrapped her arms around him, and whispered, "You'll always be my little brother, Christian. I hope you find a family of your own someday. Hopefully, I'll come back some time."

Christian nodded, and smiled. Agni turned, kissed Flora and Jonathan, and slowly left the cabin, clutching the mask in her hands.

For a moment, she stopped, and turned to stare at her family. She was almost tempted to come back and tell them that she would stay, but she knew that the only way to truly face her fears was to go to the source of it.

And that was at her home, in Arcturus.

She walked away from the cabin and towards the kingdom to take the first ship to her kingdom. As she did, she told herself one thing:

Someday, she would return, and stronger and braver than before.

* * *

That was it.

Grand Pabbie ceased the memory, and just like that, everyone who had bared witness to her past was brought back to reality. They were now in the cave, surrounding the small fire.

"So that's what happened to her," Kristoff said slowly. He almost felt pity for the woman, if not for who she used to be.

"She was such a kind girl," Flora said, wiping some tears away as she recalled memories with Agni. "How could she turn out like this? We tried to raise her right."

Turning to Grand Pabbie, Anna said, "Pabbie, you have to show us what happened next. Please, we want to see what happened when she got back."

The old troll sighed. "I'm sorry, but delving into the past of another is too straining," He explained quickly. "I've never done it for this long. I'm afraid I cannot show any more than this."

Anna narrowed her eyes. "Well, then we have to go back to the kingdom and tell Elsa what happened," She said, standing up. "She'll know what to do." She turned around to walk out of the cave.

Then, she stopped.

"Oh, no," She whispered.

The rest of the group turned to see what Anna was staring at, and they all gasped in horror.

At the entrance of the cave, a group of large lava monsters stood, staring at them and blocking their path. They were larger than the one Anna and Kristoff had encountered, at least as big as Marshmallow. Their fingers were spiked, and their mouth and eyes were glowing yellow with lava.

The one at the front growled, and they all immediately entered the cave with stunning speed. Before anyone in the group could move, the lava monsters had them surrounded.

"Oh, frostbite," Kristoff whispered.

This day had just gotten a whole lot worse.

* * *

 _Don't worry, we'll see the rest of Agni's backstory soon._

 _Anyways, read and review as always._


	28. Exposed

_MHS0501: Well, we'll just have to find out._

 _Nlgirl17: Okay, not going to lie, after writing her backstory, I want her to turn good as well. Maybe if she hadn't killed all those people it might've worked, but..._

 _Strange and proud of it: Brave for doing what?_

 _Korrasami 88: If only she wasn't a main character._

 _Miaka: I actually didn't intend for her backstory to be as sympathetic as it turned out, but oh well._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Magic snow, to be precise._

 _I am a burglar: Sure._

 _Antha1: I have nothing to say._

 _Also, regarding the twist about Agni being the Phoenix, I was surprised that it was a shocker for everyone. The answer was quite literally in front of you the whole time (can you guess what that is?)_

* * *

The search to find the Phoenix's fleet by the Arendelle Navy had turned up no results in the hours it had scoured the island. It appeared that the Phoenix's navy had vanished from the island.

"There's been no sight of them," One of the crew said to the captain. "I say we should turn back now. Perhaps the madman realized it was best not to confront the Queen of Arendelle and left."

The captain narrowed his eyes at the man, but nevertheless obliged him. "I'll give the order for the fleet to set sail back to the kingdom."

As he spoke those words, however, the captain noticed a glowing light coming from the corner of his eye. It almost looked like the sun, but closer. Squinting his eyes, he turned around to the source of the glow, and his eyes widened in horror.

In the sky, a massive ball of fire was soaring down at the fleet. As it neared, the ball of fire took shape, and formed itself into a fire bird.

The Phoenix.

"Look out!" The captain shouted out in horror, but it was no use. The gargantuan fire bird swooped over the fleet, its jaws opened to unleash a wave of fire out of its jaw and onto the fleet below. Some of the men tried to jump overboard to escape the fire, but it was too late. Even those who landed in the water were burned by the fire, which had boiled the water immensely.

Within seconds, the fleet, and everyone in it, had been engulfed in flames. All that remained were the charred remains of the ships, floating out to sea.

And in their place, a new navy appeared out of the seas.

The Phoenix's Navy. And they were heading to Arendelle.

* * *

Flint sat at the far end of the table in the castle's dinner room. Ever since both Elsa and Agni had vanished, he'd tried to excuse their disappearance by claiming they were merely out in the village to get a breath of fresh air.

However, he wasn't sure it was working.

"So, what happens if Elsa doesn't come back?" Princess Circe asked.

"Well, I'd be happy to take up the role of responsibility for this kingdom if that happens," Prince Howard boasted.

Flint tuned himself off from the rest of the conversation. He simply didn't have the mind power to be invested in a pointless discussion. He remembered a time when he was more outgoing and cheerful, but ever since Agni had become queen of Arcturus years ago, that side of him had been slowly dying out. He leaned in on the table, idly rubbing his thumb and middle finger together.

 _These people have no idea what they're getting themselves into,_ he thought to himself. He almost pitied them. They were so clueless.

Kai happened to walk up to Flint to serve him a dish. "So Flint, do you have any idea why this Phoenix is acting the way he does?" He asked out of intrigue. "You think he's doing this out of some personal loss, or merely arrogance?"

"Probably power," Flint replied with a shrug. "It's a good thing Queen Agni was there to take care of those kingdoms without a ruler."

He spoke so casually that anyone who wasn't really paying attention would've ignored his last statement. Kai, however, couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue that what Flint just said.

"Excuse me?" He asked. "What do you mean Agni takes care of those kingdoms."

Flint turned away from Kai, his expression not changing. However, some eyes turned to him, and Flint could feel rather disturbed by the attention he'd suddenly gained.

"Now that you mention it, why is your kingdom always the first to arrive right after the Phoenix strikes?" One noble questioned. "Like Weselton. You and Agni showed up right after the duke was killed."

Flint muttered something under his breath. "I'll be excused," He said, not wanting to be in such large company. As he got out of the chair, however, Kai noticed a small note in his vest.

"What is that?" Kai asked. Flint didn't answer, however, and instead began to walk to the door. Before he could get far, however, Kai suddenly reached out and grabbed the note from Kai's vest.

"No!" Flint said, and grabbed Kai's wrist. The older servant wrenched his arm out of Flint's grasp, and stared at the note, reading through it intently. Flint could see Kai's expression turn grim as he finished reading the note.

Kai looked up to stare at Flint, and the old servant could see Flint have an expression of restrained panic on his face.

"Flint," Kai said briskly. "I think you have some explaining to do."

* * *

Princess Thaw couldn't believe her eyes. Queen Agni of Arcturus was not only in league with these evil men, but she was their leader. She was the Phoenix.

"Hello, princess," Agni whispered, and motioned for her men to release Thaw. The moment the young princess was out of the men's grip, she looked up at Agni and whispered, "I. . . I don't understand."

"Oh, you will, princess," Agni said to her, running a hand through the princess' blonde hair. "Everything will be all right."

"But. . . you're the Phoenix," Thaw whispered, almost choking on her words. Agni could see a look of utter betrayal in her eyes, and the little girl stared at the ground in disbelief. Her skin was white as show, and her arms and legs were wobbling.

The man who Thaw had forced to take her to this spot walked up and said, "I brought her to you, Queen Agni." He sounded boisterous and proud, in spite of the humiliating way he'd been outwitted by the young girl.

Agni scoffed. "Indeed," She said, and the man was surprised to see the Queen look irritated. "You brought her to me by being a fool who let a little girl outsmart you. How pathetic. You bring shame upon us all."

The man's eyes widened in horror as he saw Agni's hand begin to glow. "But, my Queen. . ." He whispered. The other men began to back away from the man who had offended Agni.

Queen Agni didn't let the man finish his sentence. She raised her arm, the immediately, the man was engulfed in flames, only having a second to let out an agonized scream before he was reduced to ashes.

Thaw let out a scream as the man next to her was burned to death before her eyes. She looked up to Agni, her eyes filled with horror.

"Agni!" She shouted out.

The Queen shushed her. "Don't worry, princess," She whispered to her. "Everything will be fine. Soon, Elsa will show up, and. . ."

"What are you going to do to her!" Thaw asked angrily, her voice rising and her eyes narrowing. She pointed a finger at Agni and said, "You better not do anything to my aunt!"

Agni almost seemed taken aback. "Your aunt?" She asked. "You mean, the woman who carelessly neglected you for years. The woman who never listens to you and only cares about her own needs. A self-centered, pompous woman."

Thaw stared up at Agni, mouthing wordlessly. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words to.

"Don't worry; I understand," Agni reassured her. "Trust in me; things will be much better off once I'm in control. I won't treat you like Elsa does." She reached out to pat Thaw's head, but suddenly, a voice cut through the air, shouting, "Stop!"

All eyes whipped in the direction of the voice, and everyone saw Queen Elsa rush out of the darkness and towards Agni and her men.

"Elsa?" Thaw whispered in shock. "How did you find me!"

Elsa didn't answer, however. Instead, she was staring in shock at Queen Agni, who was looking back at her. "Hello, Elsa," The Queen of Arcturus said casually. Her demeanor as a kind and well-meaning woman was nowhere to be found.

Elsa's eyes widened in shock and horror as realization sunk in. "Agni. . ." She whispered. Pointing a shaking finger at Agni, she stuttered, "You. . . you're. . ."

"The Phoenix?" Agni finished for her, taking a step forward. A dark grin disfigured her beautiful face.

Elsa, after getting over the initial shock, took a deep breath and straightened up, regaining her composure.

"How does it feel, Elsa?" Agni asked, stepping in front of Thaw. "To be in constant fear of a threat that may ruin your kingdom, only to find out that that threat was right under your nose the whole time?"

Elsa didn't respond. She only glared at the evil Queen, her fists clenched.

Finally, she spoke. "Where is Anna and Kristoff?" She asked, a threatening tone in her voice.

"Who knows," Agni asked, folding her arms. "I thought I killed them, but I couldn't find their bodies. Maybe they're out in the forest, lost. Or perhaps they're already back in the kingdom, only to find you've abandoned them once more."

Elsa gritted her teeth, her eyes darkening. "The kingdom will find out it's you," She threatened. "They'll know you're the Phoenix."

Agni grinned. "That's why I had your navy destroyed," She sneered at the Queen. "Thaw's idea to send the navy out to search for me was all my doing. Now, my fire bird had wiped out that pathetic fleet of yours, and mine is on its way to Arendelle as we speak."

Elsa's eyes widened in horror. "No," She choked out. She narrowed her eyes once more and said, "I will stop you!"

Agni seemed amused by Elsa's vow. "Then prove it," She challenged the Snow Queen. "I'm giving you a chance to save everything you treasure."

Elsa was intrigued. "What is that?" She asked.

"A duel," Agni explained. "Let's you and me battle, right out here. If you can kill me, my men will leave your kingdom alone forever." She paused, then added, "But if I win, and you die, then everything and everyone in this kingdom belongs to me."

For a moment, Elsa looked uncertain. She stared at the Fire Queen, and she wondered if she actually stood a chance of winning. However, as she stared at Thaw, and saw how frightened the young princess looked, she realized that the only way she could save her kingdom was by agreeing to Agni's deal.

"Alright," Elsa said, nodding her head slowly. "I accept your deal, Phoenix."

* * *

 _Read and review._


	29. Agni Kai

_A/N: Okay, has anyone guessed what the big clue to the Phoenix's identity was? If you haven't, here it is: the cover._

 _MHS0501: Okay then._

 _Nlgirl17: Yeah, I'm aware of that._

 _Ignore Haters: Um...thanks._

 _Korrasami 88: Well, you get to find out now._

 _Miaka: Okay._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Well, everyone thought the Phoenix was male prior to the reveal._

 _I am a burglar: Well duh._

 _Antha1: Research was the name "Agni" means. As for why Agni killed that guy, my moneys on the latter._

 _Strange and proud of it: Maybe._

 _Also, just something I wanted to say: I'm glad I've finally gotten the reveal out of the way. Since I was trying to keep the Phoenix's identity a secret, writing her parts were rather difficult, and came off as awkwardly written in my opinion. So, I'm glad her identity has been revealed so I can write her more fluently._

* * *

Elsa and Agni stood at the wide field in the midst of the forest at the bottom of the cliff side. Agni had wanted their duel to take place in an area that wouldn't be complicated by forestry.

Elsa took a deep breath as she faced Agni, who stood at the opposite end of the field. Behind the Fire Queen, Thaw stood in the grasp of Agni's men. Her normally pink skin was now pale with fear, and her hands were clasped together fearfully. Ander lay on the ground, his expression containing just as much fear as Thaw.

"Are you ready, Elsa?" Agni called out to the Snow Queen. There was a confident look in her eyes, almost as if she knew she had no chance of losing.

Elsa gave a glance at her niece, and then called out, "Give me your word that your men will release my niece if you lose!"

"I give my word," Agni replied casually, giving a mocking bow. "I merely wanted her to draw you out. I knew you'd abandon your kingdom if someone you loved was missing."

Elsa clenched her fists as she realized that she had fallen right into Agni's trap. There was a pause as she felt the air around her turn sullen and dreadful. She realized that there were multiple outcomes to this fight, and only one of them turned out in her favor.

The Fire Queen took a stance, her smile vanishing. She hardened her expression, her eyebrows furrowing in concentration. As the glow of her fire appeared in the palm of her hand, Elsa cried out, "We don't have to do this, Agni!"

Agni stopped.

"I don't want to kill you, Agni," Elsa continued. "Why do you even want Arendelle? My kingdom is small and insignificant. Why can't we just turn back now, without either of us shedding any blood."

Agni paused for a moment, and then said, "It's too late for that. Are we going to duel or not?"

Elsa gritted her teeth. She closed her eyes, then whispered, just loud enough for Agni to hear, "Fine. You'll have your duel, Agni."

Despite the distance between them, Elsa could see the way Agni's smile appeared on her face. It wasn't like the smile she'd seen before in the castle, though. This smile was evil and twisted.

Elsa grimaced. While she didn't want to fight Agni, for the sake of Arendelle, she knew she had to. But even then, in the bowels of her mind, a voice was whispering to her, _You will not win._

Elsa ignored the voice. Taking a stance, she took a deep breath as she faced off against Agni. The Fire Queen didn't take a stance, however, and stood upright. Elsa stared at her, waiting for her to make a move. Seeing what Agni could do could prove useful in taking her down.

Eventually, Agni did make a move. Making a quick motion with her arms, Agni summoned a large ball of fire and hurled it into the air. Elsa froze as she watched the fireball soar upwards into the sky. It then expanded into the form of a fire bird before dissipating into thin air.

Elsa looked down to stare at Agni, confused. That move wasn't meant as an attack, so why had Agni done it?

"Now, we can fight," Agni said.

* * *

In the sea, the captain of the Phoenix's fleet saw the fireball in the air morph into a Phoenix bird before vanishing. He grinned, for he knew what this meant.

It was time to attack.

"It's the signal!" He told the rest of the crew. "Come on, set a course for the kingdom. Queen Agni will join us soon!"

With that, the fleet of ships turned and floated through the sea in the direction of the Kingdom of Arendelle.

* * *

Agni was the first to go on the offensive.

Shooting her hand out, Agni fired a yellow ball of flame at Elsa. The Snow Queen quickly threw her hand out, and a blast of snow caused the fireball to dissipate into air. She let out a breath, relieved that she had managed to block Agni's first strike.

Agni sent another fireball in Elsa's direction. And another. And another. Elsa blocked each one, but as she did, she couldn't help but feel as if Agni was holding back for some reason. Surely this wasn't the best she could manage.

Agni shot another fire ball at Elsa. However, as Elsa raised her arms to deflect the fire ball, she saw Agni raise her arm in the fire. Before her eyes, Agni summoned a fire whip. Her eyes widened as Agni whirled the whip back, and then sent it in Elsa's direction.

 _CRACK!_

As Elsa deflected the fire ball, Agni lashed at her with the whip, forcing Elsa to dodge under it. Agni whipped the air around Elsa, then sent the whip down upon Elsa's head. Seeing the blazing whip near her, Elsa instinctively raised her arms to defend her, and summoned an ice wall to defend herself.

The fire whip smashed through the ice wall effortlessly. Elsa screamed as the whip stung her arms, and she reeled her arms back. She looked down at her arms, and her eyes widened when she saw a black ring around her arms where she had been burnt.

With a flick of her hand, Agni's fire whip vanished into thin air. She, too, saw Elsa's burnt arms, and she smiled.

"Elsa!" Thaw cried out in horror. She tried to rush out, but one of the Phoenix's men grabbed her and yanked her back, causing her to fall onto the ground.

Elsa groaned, her arms burning. However, she fought past her pain, and locked eyes with Agni. Now, it was her chance to strike back.

Elsa shot her arm out, and a burst of snow fired out in Agni's direction. The Fire Queen summoned a burst of fire to shield her, but some of the snow made contact with her skin. Agni groaned as the snow and ice bit into her arms. Her eyes ablaze, Agni shot a blast of fire out of her hands, sending it in Elsa's direction.

Agni raised an ice wall to defend herself, but Agni's fire smashed through it. Elsa dodged out of the way to avoid the fire, which shot past her and burnt a tree severely, causing it to tumble down.

Seeing Elsa falter, Agni moved. Racing down the field, Agni sent a series of fireballs in Elsa's direction. Elsa dodged some of them and deflected others.

Propelling herself into the air, Agni soared down towards Elsa, her hands aflame. Elsa let out a gasp and hurriedly jumped out of the way as Agni landed on the ground close to her. The wave of fire knocked Elsa back, and she collapsed onto her feet.

Agni stood up, a ring of charred ground surrounding her. She stared at Elsa as she got to her feet, and stumbled for a moment. She finally stood upright, but Agni could see her breathing heavily.

"You look tired," Agni pointed out, folding her arms.

Elsa took a deep breath, and with a motion of her arms, she sent an ice spike out of the ground to skewer Agni. Clearly, the Fire Queen hadn't expected that, as she nearly stumbled to get out of the way.

Elsa seemed to pick up a new strategy immediately afterwards. She'd fire an ice blast in Agni's direction, then send an ice spike at her when she tried to dodge it. Agni seemed adept at dodging this attack, though.

Agni summoned a blade of fire in her hands. As Elsa summoned an ice spike to skewer her, she'd cut through the spike with the fire blade. She shot another fire blast at Elsa, who blocked it with a wall of snow.

As Agni moved to the left, Elsa summoned an ice spike from behind. Agni heard it break through the ground behind her, and for a moment, Elsa actually saw Agni's eyes widen in shock. She dodged, but the ice spike slashed Agni's arm, drawing blood.

Agni stifled a cry of pain as she clutched her wounded arm. Blood streamed down her wound and dripped onto the ground. Behind her, Thaw and Agni's men were frozen in shock that the Phoenix's blood had been shed.

Even Elsa stood, shocked that she had managed to wound Agni.

Her victory was cut short, however. Agni turned to her, eyes ablaze, and she whispered, _"No more games."_

What happened next was a blur. Agni fired two separate fire blasts from her hands, trapping Elsa between them. The fire singed her arms, and she clenched them in pain. Agni used the distraction to surge forward. As she did, the ground below her turned to hardened molten lava. It spread across the ground until it engulfed the entire field.

Elsa could feel the temperature rise as she stood on the hardened molten lava. It burnt her feet, and she realized that her walking, and by extension dodging, had been compromised.

Agni raised her arms, and blades of lava shot out of the ground. Elsa struggled to dodge it, but one of the blades slashed through her back, leaving a gash. She let out a cry as blood seeped out of her wound.

"Elsa!" Thaw cried out in horror, but the Phoenix's men held her still. Unlike Elsa, the ground beneath them didn't burn them due to their armor.

Agni raced forward, and her hands caught on fire. Elsa's eyes widened as Agni brought her flaming fist towards her, and it connected with her jaw. It burnt her, and the sheer force of the blow knocked her back. Another blade of molten lava shot out, nearly impaling her through the gut.

Elsa stood up, and fired a blast of snow in Agni's direction. Suddenly, Agni summoned a massive wall of fire, its heat so intense it burned Elsa's skin. Agni lurched forward, the fire wall expanding, its heat beating Elsa back.

As Elsa watched, the wall of fire shifted and morphed until it had formed into the head of a massive fire bird. Her eyes widened as the fire bird's gaping jaws opened, and a blast of fire was omitted in Elsa's direction.

Elsa immediately dashed off in the opposite direction, the flames pursuing her. It was almost like the Hounds of Hell itself were coming for her, ready to drag her to her doom.

Agni laughed, and using her other arm, she parted the ground. As Elsa watched in horror, deep, orange and yellow lava appeared within the ground, cutting her off.

 _She was holding back the whole time,_ She realized in horror.

The wall of fire disappeared, and Agni propelled herself forward. Elsa spun around as Agni's fist, once again caught aflame, connected with her jaw. Agni unleashed several more punches to Elsa's face and gut, each strike burning her flesh. Elsa sent an ice spike hurtling at Agni, but she burnt it to a crisp within seconds.

Another punch sent Elsa crashing onto the ground. Her face was covered in nasty bruises and burns, and there were a few gashes in her skin. She lay on the ground, struggling to get up.

"Agni, stop this!" Thaw pleaded on the other side of the field. She thrashed and kicked in the men's grasp, but it was a futile effort.

Agni scoffed at Thaw's pleading. She looked down at Elsa, who got to her knees, clutching her stomach.

"So this was the Snow Queen everyone revered as so powerful?" Agni asked. "How pitiful."

Summoning a fire whip, Agni wrapped it around Elsa's neck, choking and burning her. "It appears I was wrong to take such precautions against you, such a waste," She taunted, raising Elsa into the air with the whip. "I thought you were strong, but you're not. This whole time, I could've just taken your kingdom from you, but I wanted to see what you were capable of! Now I see I was wrong to have even given you that chance!"

Elsa struggled to speak, but the fire whip strangling her prevented anything coherent to escape her mouth. Agni narrowed her eyes. Using the whip, she flung Elsa into the air.

Thaw watched in horror as her aunt was flung up into the sky like a rag doll. She let out a cry of horror as Elsa landed on the hard ground, broken and battered. She was bleeding, and her body was bruised and burned.

For a moment, she didn't move. All eyes were on her, waiting to see if she could get up.

After about a minute passed, she did. Slowly, her arms and legs twitched, and she struggled to get up. Thaw watched her, her former contempt for her aunt replaced with pity.

Elsa looked like an infant trying to take its first steps as she got up. Her body felt like it was on fire, but despite this, she fought past it. Slowly, she got onto one knee. Breathing heavily, she slowly got to her feet. For a moment, her legs buckled, and she stumbled. Despite this, she remained on her feet.

"I. . . will not lose," She whispered, every word an effort. Her stomach was aflame, and every movement hurt, but she couldn't give Agni the satisfaction of giving up.

Agni stared at her, her arms folded.

"For my sister. . . my niece. . . for Arendelle, I won't give up," Elsa said. She clenched her fists tight. Slowly, she took another stance, facing Agni. As she did, the ground beneath her began to turn to ice. It expanded across the field, transforming the lava into snow.

Agni sneered, and sent several fire blasts in Elsa's direction, confident that they would be enough to finish off the injured Snow Queen. Amazingly, Elsa's snow overwhelmed the flames, and they vanished into the air. She was visibly in pain, but she intended to keep on fighting.

Then, Elsa unleashed a stunningly powerful blast of snow. Agni raised a shield of fire to defend herself, but some of the snow bit into her skin.

Agni stared at Elsa, grimacing. She had given the signal to her fleet to attack Arendelle, and she knew it was only a matter of time before they reached the kingdom.

She knew she had to be there when they struck.

 _I can't prolong this fight any longer,_ She thought to herself. _I must end it._

Then, her eyes landed on Thaw. She stood behind Elsa, her eyes filled with terror and her hands over her mouth. Her eyes darted from Agni to Elsa, wondering what both intended to do.

Agni grinned. Opening her hand, she summoned a ball of fire into the palm of her hand. Elsa immediately prepared to block it.

Agni fired the ball of flame. However, Elsa realized, to her horror, that Agni wasn't aiming for her.

She was aiming for Thaw.

The young girl's eyes widened in shock as she saw the fire ball soar through the air in her direction. Behind her, several of Agni's men let out shouts of horror as she realized they'd be caught in the blast as well.

But Elsa refused to let that happen.

"No!" She cried. Despite the intense pain she was in, she ran to shield Thaw. The fire ball soared towards her, and Elsa hurriedly threw her arms out to summon a shield of ice.

But it was too late.

The fire ball struck Elsa right in the heart.

Immediately, everyone froze. Thaw let out a choked gasp as she saw the fireball make contact with her aunt's chest. Her pupils shrank, and she opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out.

Elsa's mouth hung open as well, but no sound came out. The wind had been knocked out of her chest; she felt as if someone had plunged a dagger into her heart. She could feel her skin burn from the inside, and she slowly looked down to see her chest glowing red.

Then, she fell. All of the injuries she had sustained in the battle were suddenly brought to the forefront with this final, devastating blow from Agni. She could feel all her wounds rip through her with the force of a hurricane. She felt like she was being torn apart.

Elsa crashed onto the ground hard, clutching her burning chest. She choked and coughed, her entire body burning. She had never been in this much pain before.

Thaw stared down in horror at her aunt as she lay on the ground. She knew that her aunt wouldn't get up from this attack.

"Elsa. . ." Thaw whispered, and covered her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes. Behind her, several of the Phoenix's men grinned. Agni had won the duel.

Agni surged forward , and she soon stood before Thaw. She stared into the princess' eyes, then looked down at Elsa, who had stopped moving. Her only movement was her eyes, darting from Agni to Thaw.

"I've won," Agni whispered, and she almost sounded astounded. She stared down at Elsa, who was struggling to breath. Thaw was too horrified to say anything.

"I must admit; I didn't quite think that trick would work," Agni confessed. "Putting your own life in danger to save another. To think, that felled one of the most powerful women in the kingdom."

Elsa stared up at Agni, her eyes ablaze. Her ire for the Fire Queen burned just as hot as her own injuries. Despite this, she could not summon the strength to strike back. She had been defeated, and she knew it.

"Now to claim this kingdom as my own," Agni said. She pointed a finger at Elsa, and the tip of her finger glowed with fire. Elsa's eyes widened as she saw the fire blazing before her.

Then, Agni's eyes wandered to Thaw, who stood a few feet away, trembling.

Agni's eyes seemed to flicker as a new thought entered her mind. "Oh, now here's an idea," She said, and Elsa and Thaw were disturbed by the way Agni's grin grew on her face.

Agni turned to one of her men and grabbed his sword. Turning to Thaw, she threw the blade to the young princess, who caught it with trembling hands.

Thaw stared down at the sword in her hands, and her eyes widened in horror as she realized what Agni wanted her to do.

"I know how much you dislike your aunt for shunning you all those years," Agni said, folding your arms. "Now here's a chance to get your revenge and prove you're loyal to me at the same time."

Thaw looked up to Agni, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Go ahead, Thaw," Agni whispered. "Kill her."

* * *

 _Read and review._


	30. A Lie Exposed

_Guest: Well, in the long-run, Elsa winning right then and there would've been rather anti-climactic._

 _MHS0501: Good luck indeed._

 _Korrasami 88: Okay._

 _I am a burglar: The fight's over. For now..._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Who indeed._

 _Love Will Thaw f: I deleted your other reviews, but kept this one since it technically wasn't saying anything offensive. If you don't want your reviews deleted next time, don't be a dick._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Uh-huh._

 _Nlgirl17: It's going to get sadder._

 _Antha1: Well, Elsa hasn't gotten into a lot of fights concerning her powers. It wouldn't make a lot of sense for her to win now._

 _Strange and proud of it: Let's find out._

* * *

Thaw felt nauseous. The large, metal sword she held in her tiny hands felt like it weighed more than it actually did. The position she had been unexpectedly thrust into strained her body, and her muscles tensed.

"Go on, Thaw," Agni urged on, her voice almost a whisper in Thaw's ear. "Make Elsa pay."

Elsa looked up at Thaw, blood streaming from her mouth. "T-Thaw," She whispered, crawling piteously towards her niece. One of Agni's men delivered a brutal kick into her gut, causing the queen to double over in agony. Thaw flinched.

Elsa coughed vigorously, her hand clutching her wounded chest. It was clear that she was just barely clinging to life.

"It appears she's in a lot of pain," Agni mentioned to Thaw, moving behind the princess. "Why don't you put her out of her misery."

Thaw started breathing heavily, her heartbeat speeding up. Sweat poured from her forehead, and she could feel her knees buckle. "I. . . well I-"

"Do it!" Agni suddenly shouted, roughly shoving Thaw towards her aunt. The sword nearly flew out of Thaw's hands, but she held onto it. The young princess stared down at her wounded aunt, and make a snap decision.

"No," She said, her voice hardly above a whisper. With shaking arms, she tossed the sword onto the ground.

Though she wasn't facing Agni, Thaw could feel the Fire Queen's glare etch into the back of her skull. She heard the queen mutter, "Pity."

Suddenly, two strong hands grabbed Thaw and hoisted the young princess into the air. She let out a terrified cry as one of the Phoenix's men tore off her coat and threw her onto the ice. She hit her head on the ice, knocking her senses out.

"S-Stop," Elsa croaked out, struggling to get up.

Instantly, Thaw started shivering. Without her coat to protect her from the cold, she immediately felt the frosty air bite into her skin.

Agni chuckled. "If that's your decision, then why don't you suffer under winter's embrace," She sneered. As she did, she waved her arm, and the lava in the field immediately vanished.

Turning to Elsa, Agni pointed a finger at her. "As for you. . ." With that, her finger began to glow with a red flame. Elsa stared up at her, and then at her freezing niece next to her.

She turned back to Agni, her eyes filled with determination. _"No!"_ She cried out. With speed surprisingly Agni's men, Elsa dodged out of the way of Agni's fire blast, and rushed to Thaw, grabbing onto her.

"What?!" Agni said, whipping in Elsa's direction. Her men rushed towards Elsa and Thaw, but suddenly, a blizzard erupted around the two. Agni's men were beaten back as the blizzard engulfed Elsa and Thaw in snow.

Agni covered her face to shield herself from the snow. Fighting past the blizzard, she unleashed a fire blast where Elsa and Thaw were. Immediately, the blizzard ceased, and Agni and her men looked at where Elsa and Thaw were.

Agni's eyes widened. They were gone.

"They. . . they escaped!" Agni said in disbelief. Her hands clenched into fists angrily, and her face began to turn red. Nearby, her men backed away as they saw their queen in such a furious state.

After a few moments, Agni's face loosened. She let out a calming breath, and turned to her men.

"Our fleet's heading to the kingdom right now," She said. "Go and join them! The time to take Arendelle is today!" Immediately, the men shouted out in agreement and set off in the direction of the kingdom, one of them taking Ander with him.

Agni stayed, however. Before she joined in the attack, there was something else she needed to take care of.

* * *

After the note had been discovered back in the castle, Flint had been forced to remain in the room. His weapons were removed, and he was seated with two guards watching him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Princess Circe asked Kai. The old servant held up the note. He turned to glare at Flint for a moment, then turned to the other royals to read the note out loud.

"This was found in his vest," He explained to them. He coughed to clear his throat, then read the note.

 _To The Queen of Arendelle_

 _This is an urgent letter concerning the threat made against your kingdom. The Phoenix has infiltrated your castle boundaries and plotted against you right under your nose._

 _She is Queen Agni of Arcturus. She has made a grievous scheme to kill you and steal the kingdom for yourself. I warn you to act quickly and protect those you love, before it is too late_

Kai stopped reading the note, and stared at the royals. Several of them gasped in shock, and all of them wore an expression of disbelief on their face. Soon, all eyes were on Flint, Agni's assistant.

The man was avoiding everyone's glance, a bitter look on his face. Kai approached him, a stern look in his eyes.

"Flint," He said, rolling up the note. "It would be in everyone's best interest if you explained what in Heaven's name is going on!"

Flint groaned, his face tense. Eventually, he let out a deep sigh, and turned to face the royals.

"I didn't want to take part in this," He confessed to everyone. "I didn't want a part in any of it. Arcturus' queen, Agni, took the throne years ago when she. . . murdered the king."

"She killed King Frederick?" Prince Howard said, flabbergasted. "Her own father? But I thought he died of an illness."

"That's the story that was told outside the kingdom," Flint murmured. "Everyone in Arcturus knows the truth."

"Why did she do it?" Kai asked, curious. "Why did she do all of this?"

Flint narrowed his eyes. "It all started when I was a child," He confessed. "When King Frederick found out that his queen exiled Princess Agni without his information, she was put to death. After that moment, the king was never the same. He went bitter with grief, and it lasted up until I was a young man. That is, until the princess returned."

"What happened next?" Circe asked.

"For the king, it was a dream come true," Flint mumbled, and his stare became stony. "But alas, it could not be. Shortly after Princess Agni reunited with him, she stole the throne from him."

"Is that when she became the Phoenix?" Kai asked.

"No," Flint said. "To this day, I don't know what was going through her mind when she killed him. She was so bitter and angry. She murdered a few of the staff, my father included. The ones who thought she was a demon when she was a child. The kingdom follows her more out of fear than anything."

Nobody said anything. They just waited for Flint to continue, still in shock at the revelation.

"Now, I'd like you to know that conquest was not always on Agni's mind when she became queen," Flint continued. "For several years, she ruled Arcturus, not wanting anything to do with other kingdoms. It was hard for her at first, the responsibility of being ruler weighed down on her shoulders. But. . . I helped her through it. But I could see her get more bitter and cold as the years went by. To be honest, I think she was homesick. She wanted to go back to Arendelle."

Flint made sure everyone was listening, and continued. "I became a father a few years ago," He said to them. "Some time after that, Agni told me that she wanted to take control of Arendelle. She wanted others to fear her, so every other kingdom nearby was a target as well. But Arendelle was always her main target. I think it was because she grew up there."

"But why murder?" Kai asked. "Why conquest?"

"Agni was feared by everyone who knew her secret," Flint told them. "The only ones who didn't were the family who raised her in Arendelle, and her father. She has no reason to believe the world would be different."

"So she decided to become the monster everyone feared she was?" Prince Howard guessed.

"Flint, not all people are like that," Kai pointed out. "Queen Elsa was beloved by her kingdom, in spite of her powers. Agni would not be treated any different, if only she weren't a murderer."

Flint shut his eyes. "It's too late for her," He muttered. "She shut love out of her heart a long time ago."

Suddenly, King Andreas stood up. "Well we can't just sit around here and do nothing!" He bellowed. "The queen and princesses of Arendelle are out there, in Agni's grip. We have to go get them!"

Flint stared past him, and his eyes widened. "It's too late," He said, motioning to the window.

The other royals turned to the window to see what Flint was staring at. Immediately, their eyes widened in horror at what they saw.

The Phoenix's fleet was in the harbor, heading straight for the kingdom.

* * *

"Get your hands off me!" Anna snapped as she and the rest of the group were roughly dragged or carried through the woods by Agni's lava monsters. Despite the group's struggles, they couldn't compete with the strength of the beasts holding them.

"Mommy, where are the monsters taking us?" Dawn asked as she and the rest of Christian's family were herded in a small group by three of the monsters. Diane looked down at her daughter, carrying Abner in her arms.

"It will be alright, Dawn," She reassured her.

Unexpectedly, the lava monsters stopped walking when they reached a specific part of the forest. "What's going on?" Anna asked, looking around. "Why have we stopped?"

 _"She's here,"_ One of the lava monsters drawled, lava dripping from its open jaw. It dripped onto the ground, melting the snow away.

Instantly, the group felt the temperature heat up around them. As they watched, a figure jumped out of the trees and landed on the ground before them. She rose from the ground until she was standing up and facing them.

"Queen Agni," Anna growled, her voice filled with contempt. "Or should I saw, the Phoenix."

"No need to formal greetings," Agni replied sarcastically. Eyeing the group, she said, "I see you've met my lovely creations. I created them for the sole purpose of scouring this forest for you."

Her eyes landed on the trolls, and she added, "You didn't think you could hide from me forever, did you?"

Grand Pabbie looked up to face Agni. "No, but long enough," He replied. "We all know your past, Agni. We know what drives your heart."

"You don't know what's in my heart," Agni replied bitterly.

"Agni, we know what you went through now," Anna said to the evil queen. "We're dreadfully sorry for what you went through. But please, you don't have to do this. There's another way. My sister, Elsa, is-"

"Spare me the monologues," Agni interrupted, looking nauseous. She turned to face Christian, and said, "Now this is who I wanted to see."

Walking up to Christian, she motioned with her arms for the lava monsters to release him and his family. Resting a hand on Christian's shoulder, Agni said, "It pains me that you had to betray me, little brother. So sad; I thought I saw something in you."

"Agni, listen to reason!" Christian said to her. "This is not the girl I grew up with! You were kind, a friend. We all want that person back."

Agni frowned. "I am who I am," She said bitterly. Turning to look down at Abner, she reached down and took the boy in her arms, hoisting him into the air.

"Please don't," Christian pleaded, but Agni stopped him.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to hurt _him_ ," She reassured, though there was an icy touch in her voice. Her golden eyes turned to Diane, and she said, "So you're my brother's wife, are you."

Diane breathed. "I am," She said, narrowing her eyes at Agni.

"I don't think I like my brother with women like you," Agni sneered, reaching out to grab hold of Dawn and pulling the young girl towards her.

"Take your hands off my daughter," Diane said, taking a step forward. Agni scoffed, then suddenly whirled and struck Diane across the face hard, causing the other woman to stumble back, her cheek aflame.

"Agni!" Flora shouted, aghast at her adoptive daughter's actions. The Fire Queen took hold of his children and took several steps away.

"Agni, I beg you to leave my family be!" Christian shouted to her. "Take me if you will, but don't hurt them."

"If that's what you want," Agni said, her voice eerily calm. She released both children, who quickly rushed to their mother, who began to get off the ground. Christian stared at his children for a moment, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of yellow. His eyes widened in horror as he turned around to see the tip of Agni's finger, an orange flame crackling above it.

"Agni, don't!" Christian shouted, rushing to block her. But it was too late.

Agni pointed her finger at Christian's wife and children, and shot the fire blast at them.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	31. Takeover

_Al Drin Hoshizora:...Agni was long established as both of those. And I thought ALL my villains pissed you off._

 _MSH0501: Indeed it does._

 _Love Will Thaw: If this is "Guest" reviewer, thanks for not being a troll this time._

 _Strange and proud of it: Not sure whether to be flattered by that statement._

 _Guest: What? I wasn't trying to give off the impression she was considering killing Elsa. It's just that she's been forced into this position by an evil queen who controls fire!_

 _I am a burglar: You'd just steal everything in Arcturus._

 _Fix-it Felix: She wants Arendelle. Hopefully, you can fix it._

 _Antha1: She was going to kill Elsa. As for Elsa herself, the only time she was in combat in the film was against those two guys, and it took her a while to gain the upper hand._

 _Miaka: Indeed they are. They're going to be even more horrified by what she does now._

 _Korrasami 88: Well, it's gonna take a while..._

* * *

Christian tried to block Agni's fire blast, but it soared past him before he could reach it.

The fire ball zipped through the air at stunning speed, aimed at Christian's wife and children. Nobody even had the time to scream out in horror. The only one who found the speed to make any movement at all was Diane.

She saw the fire ball coming at her, but most importantly, her children. In the two seconds she had before the ball of fire made contact with her, she realized that if she didn't do something, she and her children would be engulfed in the flames unless she did something.

So in a split-second, Diane shoved both Dawn and Abner out of the way of the blast. However, in doing so, she herself could not get out of the way in time.

 _"Diane!"_ Christian shouted out in horror as he saw the fire blast make contact with his wife's chest. Immediately, there was a burst of black smoke that briefly blinded those watching to the horrific sight before them. Dawn and Abner screamed as they were coated in soot.

For a moment, everyone was still. Then, Christian rushed forward, swiping the black smoke out of the air. "Diane!" He shouted out, trying to find his wife amidst the smoke. The others tried to follow him, but Agni's lava monsters held them back.

Eventually, Christian found Diane. She was lying on the ground, a small fire sizzling on her body. Her face and arms were covered in ashes, and there were putrid flesh burns disfiguring her body. Nearly her entire body had been horrendously charred. Her eyes were closed.

Dawn and Abner briefly caught sight of their mother, but immediately, they cried out and turned away. Christian, on the other hand, stared down at his wife in shock, and knelt down towards her. Slowly, he held her burning body.

"Diane?" He whispered. He got no response. He shook her slightly, but she didn't move.

"Diane, you can't be. . ." Christian whispered, and a tear slowly streamed down his cheek. He hugged Diane's body close to his own for a moment as the dreadful realization that she couldn't hear him any longer weighed in on his mind.

Behind him, the others watched in horror and sadness. Nobody said a word. They just stood there, silent, the feeling of defeat hanging over them.

After a few moments, Christian released Diane's dead body and lay her on the ground. He stood up slowly, breathing heavily.

Agni walked up. "Such a tragic loss of life," She mumbled disingenuously. "To think, there was a chance she could have lived had she not put the life of her children before her own."

Christian didn't face Agni. He just stood there, his hands slowly clenched into fists, his head lowered.

"It always seems heroic to sacrifice your life for another," Agni continued, a bitter smile appearing on her lips. "But what happens when you're no longer alive to appreciate that sacrifice?"

"Agni!" Christian suddenly shouted, spinning around and hurling himself at his adoptive sister. Quickly, Agni threw her hand up, and black hardened lava shot out from the ground, encasing the lower half of Christian's body and preventing him from moving. Even as he was encased in the lava, he reached out towards Agni, the urge to strangle her etched in his mind.

"You'll pay for this, Agni!" Christian shouted.

Agni stepped back, then smirked. "It's a shame I'll never understand the emotions you're feeling right now," She said. "To have a family member taken away from you. Perhaps if I lived a different life, I would understand, but I locked those feelings away long ago!"

"You're a monster," A voice said from a distance. Agni turned to see who it was.

It was Olaf.

The small snowman stared up at Agni, and Anna and Kristoff were surprised to see anger in his eyes. "There's no love in your heart," The snowman told the queen. "You're an inhuman monster."

Agni clenched her face, and anger flashed in her eyes. "It wouldn't matter if I still had love in my heart," She snapped bitterly. "I'm not human. I am a monster, and no amount of "love" will change that."

"Agni, when you were a girl, we loved you," Flora told her adopted daughter. "We never thought you were a monster, not even for a moment. If you could only-"

"No!" Agni shouted, pointing a finger at her parents. For a moment, Anna and Kristoff thought she was going to shoot a fire ball at them.

Strangely, she didn't. "Love, compassion, kindness," Agni said, lowering her arm. "Those things were not meant for me. If they were, I never would've been cursed with powers such as these. Elsa's powers are beautiful; fire brings nothing but harm."

Her eyes glowed bright, and her face distorted into anger. "It's too late for love now," She sneered at them. The tip of her finger glowed bright with an orange fire, and she pointed it at a struggling Christian.

"I'll show you," She whispered to her parents. "You loved me? Let's see if you still will when I'm done!"

With that, she jabbed her burning hand into Christian's fire. The man let out a cry of anger as the fire burnt through his chest and into his heart.

"No!" Flora cried out in horror, and she and her husband trashed in the grip of the lava monsters.

"Daddy!" Dawn shouted out.

Agni pressed her hand against Christian's chest, her eyes glowing brighter. As the fire etched its way into Christian's chest, everyone saw his eyes begin to glow brighter, and his hair turn from blonde to red, and his skin turn redder.

As everyone looked on in horror, they realized that Agni wasn't killing Christian. She was doing something much worse.

Finally, Agni released Christian. He stopped screaming, and his head slumped over. By now, his appearance had been drastically altered from before. Agni smirked, and with a flick of her arm, the molten lava encasing him vanished.

Christian stood for a moment, his head lowered. Everyone stared at him, frozen.

Finally, Christian raised his head, and everyone let out a shocked gasp when they saw that his eyes were glowing orange. They were the same color as Agni's lava men. His face was empty, showing no emotion.

"This is a spell I've been waiting to cast," Agni told the others. "His heart has been encased. It belongs to me now."

Slowly, Dawn got off the ground and hesitantly approached her father. "Daddy?" She asked, briefly reaching out to touch him. The moment her tiny hand made contact with his skin, Christian spun around, his eyes ablaze with fire. Dawn let out a scream as Christian grabbed her, his skin burning her flesh, and violently hoisted her into the air.

"No!" Jonathan shouted. "Leave you alone!"

"Get the little boy!" Agni ordered, ignoring Jonathan. Obediently, the transformed Christian reached out, and his fingers wrapped around Abner's neck. He hoisted the younger boy into the air along with Dawn.

"Now, everyone," Agni said, turning to the others. "We're going on a trip to the kingdom! My throne awaits!"

In spite of her fear, Anna felt the courage to shout, "Elsa will stop you!"

Agni smirked. "Oh, I've taken care of that," She whispered, though Anna didn't know what she meant. With that, Agni turned in the direction of the kingdom, and shouted, "Come on! My kingdom awaits!"

* * *

The Phoenix's navy floated to the harbor next to the other ships nearby. In the kingdom, the citizens of Arendelle watched on in horror as the unfamiliar-looking ships appeared at the docks.

The captain of the largest ship stared at the kingdom. He smirked, then turned to one of his crew.

"Soldier 45, give the command," He said. The crewman turned to the man next to him.

"Soldier 46, give the command," He ordered.

"Soldier 47, give the command," The other man demanded.

The fifth man turned to the rest of the crew. "Get 'em!" He commanded.

Immediately, the Phoenix's men let out a battle cry as they all jumped out of the ship and poured onto the docks. The people on the docks cried out in terror and fled towards the kingdom, pursued by the soldiers.

The terrified citizens of Arendelle dashed into their homes to avoid the soldiers that had unexpectedly attacked their kingdom. They shut the doors and locked themselves inside to avoid the bloodshed that was sure to follow.

Most of the soldiers surged through the streets, swarming any unfortunate civilian who hadn't gotten to their house in time. They surged towards the kingdom, where the crux of Arendelle's defenses were sure to be.

Immediately, the men guarding the castle rushed out to combat the threat. Though their queen wasn't at the castle, they knew they had to protect the kingdom from the invading men.

The Phoenix's men and Arendelle's guards met at the castle gates, both sides colliding with each other. Swords clashed with each other as a fierce battle broke out on the streets and at the gates.

The guards of some of the other nobles rushed in to join the fight, while others prioritized bringing the nobility of their own kingdoms to safety within the castle. In spite of this, Arendelle's guards were falling at a higher rate than their foes.

As the fighting progressed, it became more apparent that the Phoenix's armor was more capable of withstanding blows. As Arendelle's guards fought on, they realized that their enemies were wearing armor made from igneous rock.

"Come on!" King Andreas shouted as he urged his own men forward. They aided Arendelle's guards in the battle on the streets. He struck several of the Phoenix's men away with his large sword, knocking them to the ground.

"Where's Queen Agni?!" He shouted out, his eyes scanning the streets for any sign of the Phoenix. But she was nowhere to be seen.

Then, the sound of panicked screaming coming from a nearby part of the kingdom. Immediately, both sides ceased fighting, and all eyes whipped in the direction of the screaming.

When the guards saw the source of the panic, even King Andreas' eyes widened in horror.

"Sweet heavens," He whispered.

In the center of the kingdom, a large mass of large lava monsters lumbered across the streets, smashing through the townhouses. Several houses were set aflame by the lava monsters as they violently shambled in the direction of the castle gates.

Immediately, the Phoenix's men rushed to the side to make way for the reinforcements. The guards remaining nearly fainted as the lava monsters approached them, lava dripping from their gaping jaws and spilling onto the ground.

Despite their fear, some of the guards rushed towards the lava monsters and began hacking at them with their swords. They were struck down and hurled away by the lava monsters as if they were flies. Then, the lava monsters continued forward.

One of the lava men lurched forward towards Andreas, but the king plunged his sword deep into the monster's stomach. The monster stopped walking, lava spilling out of its wound and onto the ground. Andreas pushed the sword deeper inside in an attempt to keep the monster at bay. Then, he unexpectedly dove to the side as the lava monster collapsed onto the ground, lava burning the ground.

Andreas stared at the fallen lava monster, in shock at how close he had been to death. He was snapped out of his thoughts when a voice called out, "King Andreas!"

Spinning around, the king saw none other than Queen Agni of Arcturus. She stood in the streets, several of the lava monsters behind her, holding onto their captives.

"The Phoenix!" Andreas growled, getting up. His sword had been destroyed by the lava, but he was still far larger than Agni was. As he moved forward, Agni raised her arm, and a ball of fire danced above her fingertips.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," She warned him. Turning to Arendelle's guards, she called out, "Fighting is useless now that I'm here. You're best hope is to drop your weapons and surrender right now!"

The guards stood there, uncertain of what course of action to take. Agni narrowed her eyes, and then added, "If you're wondering, your precious queen is not coming to save you. She's lost in the forest, doomed to certain death!"

Some of the citizens who were close by gasped out in horror. Agni heard them, and a grin appeared on her face.

"Elsa," Anna whispered in horror. The lava monster grasping her let out a deep gutteral growl resembling laughter.

Hearing the news, the majority of Arendelle's guards felt a surge of anger flow their their veins. Letting out an enraged cry, they charged out onto the streets towards Queen Agni.

The queen let out a grin, and her arms flew out. A massive wall of fire shot out of her hands and towards the men.

And just like that, the battle was over.

* * *

Deep in the forest, Thaw half-carried Elsa through the woods. After Elsa and Thaw had managed to escape, they had been trying to find their way back to the kingdom before Agni did.

"I can't. . . move much farther," Elsa said, her skin still burning after her duel with Agni.

"Come on, Auntie Elsa, we have to keep going," Thaw encouraged, even as she struggled to guide Elsa through the forest. The young princess was in pain as well, the winter cold stinging her skin after her coat had been taken from her, providing her with no protection from the cold.

Eventually, Elsa collapsed onto the ground, and Thaw tumbled down with her. The young princess got up, and turned to her aunt, who was lying on the ground, not moving.

"Elsa, get up!" Thaw demanded, grabbing her aunt and struggling to lift her into the air. Suddenly, Elsa let out a cry of pain, and lurched onto her back, clutching her burning chest.

Thaw stared at her aunt in pity, and then she noticed something strange. "Elsa?" She whispered, her eyes slowly widening in disturbance. "Your hair."

Even in her intense pain, Elsa couldn't help but be annoyed at Thaw. "What about my hair?" She asked, exasperated as she turned around to face her niece. "There are more important things to worry about than-"

"No," Thaw interrupted. "Look at your hair!"

Elsa eyed Thaw, somewhat concerned. Slowly, she took her long braid in her hand and stared down at it. Then, her eyes widened in shock and horror.

Her blonde hair was turning a fiery red.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	32. Tyrant Takes the Helm

_Korrasami 88: No comment._

 _TheDisneyFan365: Indeed._

 _MHS0501: Great._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: She'll probably kill you for that._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Well duh! They're the bad guys._

 _Antha1: Well, if she killed everyone, she wouldn't have anyone to rule over._

* * *

Elsa's eyes widened in horror as a large streak of her platinum blonde hair turned red at a rapid pace. Thaw let out a surprised yelp and stumbled backwards, tripping and falling over.

"What's happening?" Elsa asked, holding her braid out for Thaw to see. "My hair's never turned another color before."

"Um, my mom said sometimes people's hair changes color," Thaw suggested, though she realized immediately just how foolish that statement was. Elsa stared at her for a moment, then shook her head and started mumbling, "Come on, what it it?"

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Thaw let out a gasp. "Your duel!" She said. "Agni struck you in the heart!"

Elsa looked up at Thaw, and she realized, with dread, that her niece was correct. When Agni had shot her in the heart with her fire ball, she must have placed a curse on her as well.

"Remember when you shot Anna in the heart nine years ago?" Thaw asked.

"Don't remind me," Elsa mumbled, the horrid memories of that incident still embedded in her mind.

"Well, now Agni's done it to you!" Thaw exclaimed. "She shot you in the heart, and must have. . . wait, did she burn your heart? Um, something like that."

"My heart's been encased in Agni's volcanic rock!" Elsa shouted out. "That means I'm going to turn into a lava statue or. . . good heavens, I wish Grand Pabbie were here. . ." Sweat began to pour down her forehead.

"Elsa, calm down!" Thaw said, grabbing her aunt by the shoulders and giving her a little shake. "Panicking will only make things worse. Now, we have to do something. First, we have to get back the castle before Agni does-"

She was cut off when the two heard a loud booming noise coming from Arendelle, and they whirled around to see black smoke billowing from one of the townhouses in the kingdom far off in the distance. Even from a distance, they could see at least two houses caught on fire.

Thaw's skin paled. "Well, I guess that's out the door," She said, tapping her fingers together, at a loss for words.

"What do we do now?" Elsa asked, struggling to get to her feet.

"Well, you're the queen," Thaw pointed out, turning to glare at her aunt.

"Hey, give me a break," Elsa retorted. "You're not the one having a heart attack!"

"Okay, okay," Thaw said, throwing her arms in the air. "Well, we can't go back to Arendelle right now. That's a death wish!"

"But that's my kingdom!" Elsa said. "I can't abandon everyone. Not again. . ."

"Well we can't go back there without a plan," Thaw said. "Agni defeated you even when you were healthy. Do you think you stand a chance against her when you're hearts encased in fire and stone?"

Elsa paused. She realized, as bad as it was, that she truly didn't have any good options. It was either good back to Arendelle and face certain death at Agni's hands, or hide and abandon everyone. It was truly a no-win situation.

But, though both choices were dreary, she had to pick the most hopeful one.

"Okay," Elsa said, with a sigh. "We're going to have to find a place to stay while I think things through. But Thaw?"

"Yes, Elsa?"

"We don't have a lot of time to plan," Elsa said, and pointed to her heart. Thaw understood.

* * *

The battle in Arendelle had been over the moment Agni arrived.

The guards who had the courage to fight the Fire Queen had been swallowed in flames within seconds. After that, everyone else had surrendered, realizing that they had no chance of winning. Currently, the castle gates were in a state of disrepair after the disastrous battle.

Agni had ordered all the citizens to be locked inside their houses. Meanwhile, the surviving guards, the trolls, and the royals were all locked away in the castle dungeons.

"My father will hear about this!" Circe threatened as she was thrown into a dingy cell by one of Agni's men. "He'll have all your heads!"

The guards tuned themselves off from the threats of the royals and nobles as they locked them all away in cells. Flint was standing in the hallway, observing it all.

"Flint!" Kai shouted to Agni's bodyguard. "I know you're a good man! Don't do this!"

Flint sighed, and closed his eyes. "I have no choice," He said. Turning away, he said, "Lock them all up."

At the same time, the lava Christian shoved his children and parents into another cell when Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven. "My son, don't do this," Flora begged as Christian held the cell door, preparing to shut it. "You have to remember!"

Dawn ran up to the cell door, pleading, "Daddy! Don't you recognize us?"

Christian paused for a moment as he stared down at his daughter, his fiery eyes flickering for a moment.

"I'm your daughter," Dawn said, holding her father's coat. "We're your family!"

Suddenly, Christian's arm shot out and struck his daughter across the face, knocking her back into the cell. The sound of a door slamming shut echoed across the dark hallways as Christian shut the door and locked it.

Flora held onto Dawn, who was sobbing profusely, her cheek burning from where her father had struck her. A nasty red mark scarred her face.

"Doesn't he recognize us?" Flora asked Anna, who sat huddled in a dark corner.

Anna shrugged, and breathed heavily. In truth, her thoughts were on her sister and daughter. She hadn't seen either of them since Agni had taken over the kingdom. Agni had told everyone Elsa was dead, but what about Thaw.

"I hope my daughter's okay," She whispered to Kristoff, who held her tight.

But in both their minds, their hope was as fragile as a ball of snow.

* * *

Agni sat in Elsa's throne room, taking in all she had done to get this far.

Finally, after so long, Arendelle, her _true_ home, was finally hers. It had taken a lot of deaths, but she had finally accomplished her goal. And she had the bonus of the other kingdoms she had left leaderless. It wouldn't be long before they fell to her, too.

She heard the doors open, and she looked up to see Flint enter the room, a stony look in his eyes.

"Resting, my queen?" He asked, a bitter tone in his voice, though Agni disregarded it.

"Can you believe it?" Agni asked. "I've dreamed of this day for years, and it's finally here. The kingdom I've truly wanted belongs to me, and Elsa. . . has been defeated."

She knew that the Snow Queen had escaped, but she was doomed anyways. Agni had placed the curse of hellfire on the Snow Queen, and it was only a matter of time before it overwhelmed her, and she would be as lifeless as a statue.

"Are you going to congratulate me?" Agni questioned Flint, who stood in the middle of the room.

"So, what are you going to do now that you have all this power?" Flint asked.

Agni's mouth moved without opening. "You'll see, Flint," She said, standing up from the throne room. As she did, a orange glow emitted behind her and took the shape of Phoenix wings. Flint watched as Agni began to hover a few feet into the air, her body glowing.

"From this day forward, I will no longer be known as the Phoenix!" Agni exclaimed to Flint. "The mask has been unveiled. Now, I shall be known as Agni the Fire Queen!"

* * *

 _Read and review._


	33. Fear

_MHS0501: Indeed._

 _Love Elsa a lot: Oh boy..._

 _Strange and proud of it: You can say that twice._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Then I suppose you shall prefer the pyre._

 _Korrasami 88: Not if there's hope._

 _HollieC1974: Well, Elsa will have to perform the act of true love in this case._

 _I am a burglar: Sure, if you like it snapped in two._

 _MasterFive Sam: And your point is?_

 _Miaka: Yeah, time is running out..._

 _Antha1: I got nothing._

* * *

Elsa and Thaw ran to the one place the former queen of Arendelle felt she was safe in: her ice palace in the frigid mountains.

In spite of the curse, Elsa still had her powers, though they were considerably weaker than before. It allowed her to guide her and Thaw to the mountains faster than if they had gone the normal route.

As the princess guided Elsa through the snow, the Snow Queen could feel her burning heart be put at ease. Surrounded by the freezing temperatures, in the embrace of her nature, it appeared as though the curse Agni had inflicted upon her had been weakened, put at bay.

But Elsa knew it was only temporary. No matter how cold her surroundings were, the curse would eventually consume her. She was only prolonging the inevitable.

By now, she and Thaw had reached the ice castle. Elsa couldn't help but feel a sort of nostalgia after finally seeing her ice palace for the first time in years. It brought back so many memories, bad and good.

"Is this the place?" Thaw asked, though she knew it was a pointless question.

"Yeah," Elsa said, her voice raspy. Picking Thaw up and carrying her in her arms, Elsa climbed up the ice steps towards the large gates of her palace. As they neared the gates, Thaw could feel the winter cold stinging her skin. She shivered in Elsa'a arms.

As Elsa got off the last staircase and walked to the gates, they magically opened on their own. The Snow Queen walked through the gates and into the icy palace, feeling some of her strength regained. Despite the current situation, she smiled in relief.

"It feels good to be home," She whispered. Thaw looked up to give a confused glance at Elsa, but she ignored it.

Thaw was set down by Elsa, and immediately, the young princess began to wonder around the ice palace, gazing at it in awe. She had never been taken to the ice palace before, and had only been told about it. To experience it in person was mesmerizing.

"I've never been in an ice palace before," She said to Elsa, looking around. "Why didn't you ever take me."

Elsa shrugged. As she did, she noticed a large shadow beginning to loom over the princess, and her eyes widened as she remembered something about the ice palace.

"Um, Thaw. . ." She whispered.

"What?" Thaw asked, turning to stare at Elsa. She noticed her aunt pointing behind her. It was then that she noticed the shadow looming over her.

Her blood running cold, Thaw slowly turned around, and let out an ear-piercing scream as she found herself face-to-face with the massive ice golem that resided in the snow palace in Elsa's absence.

"Marshmallow!" Elsa shouted out to the ice golem as it stared down at the terrified princess. The snowman looked up at Elsa with black, soulless eyes that showed a glimmer of confusion.

"Stop scaring my niece," Elsa ordered, and stomped over to the two. Taking Thaw and pulling her back a bit, she turned to Marshmallow and said, "Marshmallow, this is my niece, Thaw."

She then turned to Thaw, who was standing still, not moving. "Thaw. . . this is Marshmallow."

The princess gulped, and simply nodded.

"Elsa?" The giant snow golem growled out with a deep voice. The former queen turned to the massive snowman, and said, "Me and my niece are going to be staying here for the time being. There was an. . . incident back home."

"An incident that starts with an A," Thaw added, grumbling and folding her arms. "So, Elsa, what's the plan."

Elsa turned from Marshmallow, and pointed at her heart. "We deal with this," She said bluntly.

"Oh," Thaw said, her face falling. "Well then. . . I guess we should get to that."

"Indeed," Elsa grumbled, frowning.

* * *

"Do you know why you're all here?" Agni sneered to Anna and Kristoff as they stood in the throne room, both of them chained. Agni had called for them, and they had been taken from the dungeons to meet her.

Neither of them answered her. Agni grimaced, then turned to point at the window overlooking Arendelle. "You are here to bare witness to the fruition of my success! None of this would have been possible if it were not for your naivete!"

"What are you talking about?" Anna asked, glaring at the queen who only a day before she had admired for her kindness."

Agni turned to stare at her, grinning. "When I invited the royals from the North Sea to Elsa's _former_ kingdom, I gathered you all into a trap. Now that they're under my power, their kingdoms are under my power."

"Why are you doing this?" Kristoff asked. "No kingdom has ever harmed Arcturus."

"And they never shall," Agni spat out. "Think of it. How can any kingdom in the North Sea harm my own, when all of them will belong to me? Will a kingdom rise up against its own? No, it will not. Not when its all under my control."

"We saw your past, Agni," Anna said. "We saw what happened to you. I'm sorry. But it's no excuse for what you have done."

Agni's eyebrows furrowed as she was accosted by the princess. Despite this, Anna continued.

"Why did you become the Phoenix?" Anna asked. "Why did you take the throne from your parents? Why kill so many people? If you had been kind, they would've loved you, in spite of your powers."

For a moment, Anna saw something unfamiliar with Agni's eyes. Her golden eyes, normally filled with malice, were now clouded. It was as if she were in deep thought, or reminiscing of a past event.

Her hands clenched, and she closed her eyes tight as she remembered the day she plummeted into darkness.

* * *

It had been nine years ago. Finally, Agni was back home.

It had taken some time, but Agni had finally returned to Arcturus. The long lost princess, exiled for her strange powers, had come back to reunite with her parents.

The moment the guards recognized her, they brought her into the castle immediately. Currently, Agni was talking down the hallways of the castle, the two guards by her side. It had been many years since she had been down these hallways, and she hardly recognized them. They looked different from before, as if something had changed in her long absence.

As she reached the doors to her father's throne room, Agni felt a twinge of uncertainty build up int he pit of her stomach. She had dreamed of this day for years, the thought of finally returning to the kingdom that belonged to her. But now that it was here, was she truly ready to accept it? After all, this was the kingdom that had cast her out as a small child for the crime of being different.

She fought past her uncertainty, and grabbed the door handles, twisting them slowly. She forced herself to remember that she was going to meet her father, one of the few people who had loved her.

But yet, had not been there for her when she was exiled.

She paused for a bit, her muscles tensing. She took a deep breath, and pushed the doors open.

There, she saw him. Slouched over in the throne, a dour look in his eyes, was her father, King Frederick I. He looked much different now. His beard was now gray instead of brown. His belly was larger, and there were wrinkles under his eyes. She could see that he was old, with not very many years left to live.

Secretly, she wondered if her loss had contributed to it.

The king hadn't seemed to notice the door open. He simply sat in his throne, not moving, his eyes cold. One of the guards stepped forward, and said, "My king?"

Finally, the king looked up. He raised a hand to address the guard. Before he could open his mouth to speak, his eyes wandered to the young woman who stood in the throne room, looking at him.

There was a small gasp in the room from the guards and advisers in the room as they stared at Agni. Despite how many years had passed, they recognized the lost princess, now an adult.

"Agni?" A voice whispered, and Agni was surprised to see Flint, now older, standing by his father's side. His eyes were wide in shock.

Agni turned to her father, who was staring at her, his old eyes wide. Clearly, he recognized her as well.

"Agni," He whispered, looking as if he'd seen a ghost. His hands clenched the armrest of the throne as he slowly pulled himself out of his throne. His expression not changing, he walked down the steps and slowly approached Agni, who stood still.

"My daughter?" He asked, resting a hand on Agni once they were within arms length of each other. "Is it really. . . you?"

Agni swallowed, then responded, "Yes, father. I have returned."

Frederick's face went blank for a moment. His mouth opened and closed a few times as if he were trying to find the words to speak to his daughter after so many years they had been separated. Eventually, he just said, "Oh, Agni!"

Quickly, he wrapped his arms around his daughter, who nearly stumbled from the sudden weight pressed against her. She stood still, almost feeling a warmth as her father embraced her.

"After so many years, the Lord has blessed me and returned my daughter to me!" Frederick exclaimed as he hugged Agni. "I'm so glad you have returned to me!"

Agni nodded, hesitantly returning to hug. She looked around the room, and asked, "Where is mother?"

"She's gone," Frederick replied, not giving details. It would only be much later when Agni learned what had happened. "But all that matters is that you're home."

"Home," Agni whispered, and she smiled faintly. She turned, and looked to Flint, who was standing next to Willard. Her former friend was smiling, grateful that the princess had returned. The king's adviser, on the other hand, stared at Agni, a mistrustful look in his eyes. It appeared that, after all these years, he hadn't changed.

Agni frowned, and whispered, "What will happen now?"

"Everything will return to the way it was," Frederick said joyously. "You're home, daughter."

It was then that the uncertainty that had been creeping within Agni made itself known. The princess remembered those days when she was princess, prior to her exile.

She remembered the names the servants whispered behind her back. The mistrustful looks the townsfolk gave her. The rumors that had spread throughout Arcturus about the 'demon' princess.

She pondered: was this what she was returning to? If everything was returning to the way it was, did that mean the hate and fear would renew itself once more? The family in Arendelle may have loved her, but that didn't mean her kingdom did. She had no reason to believe they had changed their views of her.

"All these years, I thought I had lost you for good," Frederick said. "I thought you were dead."

Agni narrowed her eyes a bit. "Father. . . why didn't you look for me while I was missing all these years?" She questioned.

The king paused before responding. "The boat carrying you never returned," He explained. "We thought that you had vanished along with it. I thought. . . you were dead."

"But I wasn't," Agni pointed out, her arms still wrapped around the king. "You could've searched for me. I was in a kingdom not very far away, called Arendelle. I lived there."

Frederick froze. "I realize that now," He said. "I should've come looking for you. But that doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you are back home."

Agni once again turned to stare at Willard and Flint. Willard still stared at her suspiciously. As their eyes met, the adviser turned to stare in the opposite direction. Slowly, Agni turned around to face the other guards and advisers. With the exception of Flint, they were all looking at her with stares of uncertainty or fear.

Their stares reminded Agni of when she was a child. All the stares, the whispers. . . she had hated them so much.

Her hands began to bite into Frederick's back. Her expression changed from uncertainty to bitterness as she realized that nothing had truly changed. Her kingdom still feared her.

She wished she had never left Arendelle. Now, she had only returned to the hatred and fear and mistrust that had led to her banishment.

 _"The high adviser says that girl's a work of the Devil."_

 _"That's no princess! That's a demon!"_

 _"I wanted a son. Instead we got this. . . thing."  
_

Agni shut her eyes tight, gritting her teeth in rage as the memories all flooded back to her. The temperature in the room began to rise.

 _"What will you come back to? A mother who doesn't love you, a kingdom that doesn't want you?"_

It was then that Agni thought to herself: If her kingdom would fear her for something that was out of her control, then she would let them fear her. Nay, she would give them a reason to fear her.

No more would she continue to take the hatred and abuse that had plagued her as a child. She would stand up against those who abhorred her and make them all sorry. She would rise above her fears.

Opening her eyes, Agni looked her father in the eyes. "Father?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask something of you?"

"Of course. Anything, my child. What is it you desire?"

Agni closed her eyes. "To be take revenge on those who hurt me," She whispered, and released herself from her father's embrace. "Starting with _you_."

The king's eyes widened as he felt his feet beginning to burn hot. Staring down at his feet, he saw hardened lava, rising from the floor and encasing his feet in igneous rock. Panicking, he tried to move, but it was a futile effort. His feet were stuck. Around him, the guards all shouted out in shock.

Looking up, Frederick saw Agni, raising her arm and clenching her fist tightly. He realized, to his horror, that Agni was doing this.

"Agni, stop!" Frederick shouted as the hardened lava began to expand upwards. Soon, it had consumed the entire lower section of his body, and only continued upwards. Some of the guards rushed forward to help their king, but Agni expelled a blast of fire, causing them to step back. Nearby, Flint's eyes widened in shock and horror.

"Agni, please," Frederick pleaded as the molten lava rose to his chest. "I loved you, daughter. Don't do this!"

"You stood by while the whole kingdom hated me!" Agni shouted at him, her eyes ablaze. "It was _Hell_ living here, knowing that those around me thought I was a demon! You were king, you could have prevented it! But now, I will not go back to the same suffering I endured as a child!"

"Agni, no!" Frederick shouted out. By then, the molten lava had risen to his neck. The king tried to shout out, but the lava rose to his chin, and then his mouth, preventing him from saying anything else. Soon, the molten lava had engulfed his entire body, right up to his head. Immediately, the king's struggling ceased, and his whole body went still.

The guards gasped and shouted out in shock. Their king had been transformed into a lava statue.

Agni stared at the statue that was her father. She let out a sigh, and took a step to the side, shaking a bit. The weight of what she had just done began to strike her.

She had murdered her father. And she knew that there was no going back after that.

Agni stared at the guards, who all wore an expression of shock on their faces. She eyed them all, taking in all their expressions. In their eyes, she saw fear. They feared her.

As they should, for now, they had a reason to be afraid.

Her eyes rested on Flint, who had a look of horror on his face, not just from the king's murder, but at the realization of what his childhood friend had become.

"The king is dead," Agni told the shocked guards, glaring at the guards. "I am your ruler now. And nobody will challenge me. You had your chance, but it's gone. Now, you will understand what true fear is."

The guards said nothing. As they stared at the lava statue that was once their king, they understood that they were in no position to rebel.

Agni was the queen now. And nobody would dare oppose her.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	34. Kingdom of Fire and Brimstone

_Antha1: Well, sometimes treating someone like a monster will turn them into one. Self-fulfilling prophecy much?_

 _Anna and Thaw: Knock it off._

 _MHS0501: Taking over Arendelle, or taking over Arcturus?_

 _Korrasami 88: Maybe, maybe not._

 _HollieC1974: Indeed._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Nine years? Nine was when Agni was banished; if she returned nine years later, she would have been eighteen, but in her twenties._

 _I am a burglar: What were even doing there?_

 _Miaka: Well, I needed a realistic reason for why she'd turn evil._

* * *

Anna and Kristoff saw the way Agni's golden eyes flickered. It was as if their conversation had brought memories of the past to the forefront of the queen's mind.

The Fire Queen shut her eyes when she noticed the two staring at her. When she opened them again, they were a blazing golden color, and the two could see the energy channeling through her, just waiting to be unleashed.

"Do you want to know why I killed my father and became queen?" She asked as she rose her hands in the air. "Do you want to know why I became the most powerful being on this planet, and used it to bend others to my will?! It's because I was not born to do good! My powers could only wreak death and destruction! My mother saw it, my kingdom saw it! I was a monster, and there's no point in being anything else!"

"You mean like my sister?" Anna spat out, taking a step forward in spite of the chains restricting her. "And how she let her powers overcome her, and become the monster everyone thought she was?"

"Your sister is _dead_!" Agni replied coldly, her eyes darkening. "I killed her. And your daughter? She's wasting away in the forest, and soon she'll join her aunt! I gave her a chance, and she threw it away, so now she can suffer the consequences!"

Anna and Kristoff saw a grin form on Agni's lips. A malevolent leer that Anna had seen on Hans' face only nine years ago. She looked nothing like the kindly woman she had known hardly a day before. Now, she did look like a monster.

"People like you could never comprehend true power," Agni sneered, her eyes glowing. "Now, I'll show you what fire can really do!"

With that, Agni raised her arms into the air, and clenched them together, a sadistic grin on her face.

And at that moment, Anna and Kristoff could feel the whole castle tremble.

* * *

The citizens of Arendelle had been imprisoned within their homes ever since Agni's hostile takeover. They had spent every moment counting down the minutes under the evil queen's rule, knowing that their times with Elsa as ruler were now over.

Throughout the kingdom, every man, woman and child could hear the castle shake. It was felt throughout Arendelle. Those brave enough to peer out their windows to observe the castle let out gasps of horror at what they saw.

The castle of Arendelle's beautiful features were being deformed before their very eyes. Its walls were engulfed in black rock that quickly spread across the castle, covering it in igneous rock. Its towers were bent and twisted, malformed into a disfigured caricature of its former self.

But it didn't stop there. The ground itself seemed to tremble as bursts of lava and gas erupted from the rocky floors. For a moment, it seemed as if the kingdom was being torn apart by unseen forces. The red molten lava that covered the castle in hardened rock had now spread across the ground like a wildfire. Had anyone been outside at the time, they would have been engulfed in it.

Terrified citizens screamed as their own houses were covered in the hardened igneous rock, all the buildings twisted through the Fire Queen's power.

Agni's powers spread far out, reaching the docks themselves. Soon, every inch of the kingdom was now covered in reddened, burning rock.

Now, Arendelle looked nothing like it had before. It had been twisted into Agni's image. Smoldering, blistering, demented.

A testament to its new ruler.

* * *

Elsa had been pondering on what course of action to take now that she had been dethroned by Agni as ruler. Her time was limited, especially with the curse that had been cast upon her, but as long as she was in the safety of her ice palace, she had some time to think.

Thaw, in the meanwhile, had passed the time introducing herself to the dozens of snowglies that were also living in the ice palace. Her parents had never told her exactly what had happened to cause so many of them to appear. All Anna had told her was, "That day wasn't a perfect day."

However, they were both snapped out of their thoughts when they heard the faint glow that could be seen miles away. Recognizing the glow as coming from Arendelle, Elsa had rushed to the window to try and get a look at what was happening, in spite of the distance away.

Her eyes widened in horror when she saw that her beloved castle had essentially been transformed into a lava kingdom. Its stone had been replaced with volcanic crusts that glowed bright red.

"Oh, heavens," She whispered. The sight of what her kingdom had been transformed into seemed to make the curse even worse. She groaned and doubled over, clutching her chest, feeling the fire burning within her.

Thaw rushed into the room immediately afterwards. "Elsa!" She shouted, rushing to tend to her injured aunt. She wrapped her arms around Elsa in a warm embrace.

Elsa looked up at the window. "I did this," She groaned, slowly getting to her feet. "I allowed this to happen."

Despite her past animosity towards her aunt, Thaw was overwhelmed with empathy. Clutching her aunt's hand, she whispered, "Elsa, it's not your fault. I was the one who chose to trust her. I let her trick me."

"But it's my fault she got to you," Elsa said bitterly. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "I shut you out all those years, just like I did with Anna, my sister. And to think I thought I'd have changed at all. I didn't. I was scared, scared that I'd lose my kingdom, my family. . . you. And now I have. I've lost it all."

"No, you haven't," Thaw said. "You haven't lost me." With that, she wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist.

Despite this, Elsa didn't smile.

* * *

Flint had been within the castle when it was deformed by Agni's powers. Now the castle practically looked like a volcano, minus the lava smoldering within it.

As the guard walked down the hallways, wondering how he had been plunged into such madness, he passed by the figure of Christian. His eyes were glowing yellow, and his face was blank and unreadable. Without Agni to command him, it appeared he had shut down.

Flint scrunched up his face in disgust. Over the years, he had seen Agni commit many cruel actions, but he had never seen her do this. To attack her adoptive brother in such a way, to strip him of his mind and memories and reduce him to a puppet of her will, was an act even he found despicable.

Reluctantly diverting his eyes from Christian's glowing ones, Flint continue down the hallway towards the throne room. As he did, he saw guards escort Anna and Kristoff back to the castle dungeons.

The moment Flint reached the throne room doors, he pushed them open and stormed inside. He saw Agni, sitting in the throne, a stony look in her eyes.

Flint had hardly even said anything when Agni said, "You don't look happy. I'd have thought our victory would bring you more joy."

Flint sighed. "Is this was you intend to do to every kingdom you've taken over?" He asked, pointing to the window, where Arendelle had been deformed into its volcanic state. "Do you plan to cover the whole North Sea in your fire and brimstone?"

"Whatever it takes," Agni sneered to him. "But first, I must make sure that wretched Elsa cannot undo the curse I've cast upon her. Thaw will have to die too, if she tries to stop me."

Flint narrowed his eyes. "Queen Agni, when did you become so cold-hearted?"

"Interesting choice of words, Flint."

"You used to be a good person," The guard told Agni.

Agni glared, her face twisting into a frown. "There is no such thing as a good person," She said, hatred in her voice. She stood up, staring down at Flint. "Nobody knows that better than me."

There was silence as the Queen and her guard stared each other in the eyes. Eventually, Flint yielded and turned to leave, not willing to be in the same room as Agni any longer.

Agni turned towards the throne. Her throne.

She didn't flinch when the doors slammed shut behind her.

* * *

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	35. Reconcilation

_Al Drin Hoshizora: What?_

 _Anna and Thaw: Stop. It._

 _Korrasami 88: Uh-huh._

 _Miaka: Let's see._

 _I am a burglar: She'd probably just kill you._

 _HollieC1974: Once again, let's see._

 _Antha1: Well, it would be rather pointless to do that, wouldn't it?_

* * *

Elsa was in pain.

Burning, sheering pain. Ever since Agni's magic had spread across the kingdom, it appeared that the affects of her magic over Elsa had worsened. Now, even while in her ice palace, she could feel the curse spreading quickly within her. By now, only a few strands of her hair had remained blonde, and her veins had turned yellow.

She knew she didn't have much time left.

"Elsa!" The former queen heard Thaw call out to her from above. Looking up, she saw Thaw standing at the top of the ice balcony above her, standing dangerously close to the edge.

"Thaw, get down from there!" Elsa cried out, concerned.

"Elsa, I was thinking that if the curse could only be broken by an act of true love, perhaps saving me from falling to a messy death would undo the curse!" Thaw shouted down to her.

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Uh. . . perhaps," She said, weighing her options. She'd only seen the curse manifest in Anna, and thus didn't have very much knowledge of how to deal with it. What constituted as an act of true love, anyways?

"Get ready!" Thaw shouted, and Elsa's eyes widened in shock when the princess actually threw herself off the balcony. She fell silently through the air, and as she neared the ground, Elsa stretched her arms out and caught her, the weight of the princess nearly bringing her to the ground.

Elsa set Thaw onto the ground, and wrung her hands, wondering if this act would cause the curse to go away.

A few seconds passed. A minute.

Nothing happened.

Elsa and Thaw's faces fell when they realized that this act hadn't been enough. "But why didn't it work?" Thaw asked.

"Maybe because it was to save me?" Elsa asked, turning her gaze to the small snowglies that were watching nearby. They were all frowning sadly.

Elsa sighed. "If I die, I wonder if they'll all disappear," She whispered sadly. "What will become of Anna? Kristoff? They'll spend the rest of their lives under Agni's rule. . . if she doesn't kill them first." Her hands tightened, and she turned to face the opposite direction, breathing heavily.

"We have to save them," Thaw said.

"But if I go there, the curse will only get worse," Elsa explained. "I know why she cursed all of Arendelle. She knows it will make the curse stronger. And the closer I get to my kingdom, the quicker the curse will get to me. Will I even be able to set foot in my home without dying?"

Thaw's face fell. Her eyebrows furrowed, then her eyes widened. "Send me!" She said, standing up tall. "I'm not cursed! I can go to Arendelle without its effects harming me!"

Elsa turned to stare at Thaw. "No, it's too dangerous," She said. "What if Agni finds out you're there? Who knows what she'll do to you?"

"I'll put on a disguise," She said. "Make sure nobody recognizes me. I'm eight years old; I'm easy to hide."

"Thaw, you have no idea what you're dealing with," Elsa argued. "You cannot go against Agni. Even I couldn't defeat her. How could a little girl-"

"I'm not going to challenge her," Thaw reassured. "I'm going to free the others. Then, they can come back here and-"

"No, Thaw!" Elsa suddenly shouted, sweat dripping from her forehead as she felt the curse etch itself into her.

"Why not?!" Thaw shouted back, frustrated.

"Because I don't want to lose you!" Elsa shouted, grabbing Thaw's shoulders and shaking her. Cold silence swept into the room as the two stared into each other's eyes, both of them breathing heavily. Everyone in the room felt the temperature drop considerably.

Suddenly, Thaw sneezed violently, tearing herself from Elsa's grip. She fell onto the ground, sneezing, her skin paling. Elsa gasped, and whispered, "No, no, no." Rushing over, she held Thaw in her grasp and held her tight.

"No, not again," She whispered. Memories of Thaw's fever four years ago came flooding back.

Thaw's skin paled. She began quaking and shivering in Elsa's grip as her breathing became rigid. Elsa tried to comfort her, but her hold only seemed to make things worse.

Elsa finally released Thaw, who stumbled backwards, trying to catch her breath. Her breathing slowed, and she stopped shaking. She looked up to Elsa, her nose red.

'I'm sorry, Thaw," Elsa said guiltily. "All I can do is keep you cold."

Thaw stared at her aunt. "What did you mean. . . you didn't want to lose me?"

"When you had a fever four years back, I made it worse," Elsa said. "I wanted to help you, but I made it worse. You almost died, and it was my fault."

She remembered looking into Thaw's eyes when she was sick. How cold and lifeless they were. She remembered spending every night, plagued with nightmares as her niece's condition deteriorated. She remembered wondering if she would be responsible for destroying an innocent life. Those fears had never truly left her.

Elsa felt Thaw hold her wrist. "Elsa, I don't blame you," She said. "All these years, I just wanted you to love me. I thought you hated me."

"Oh, Thaw, I never hated you," Elsa said, taking Thaw into her arms. "I was scared for you. Scared I might hurt you."

"Well you were kinda doing that for four years," Thaw muttered, shifting her eyes.

"Sorry," Elsa replied awkwardly. "I'll never do it again." She held Thaw tighter, and as she did, Thaw's skin returned to her normal color. Her breathing and heartbeat returned to normal, and she stopped shaking. Soon, her cold had left her.

Elsa and Thaw both noticed this, and she set Thaw down. "Huh," She said. "I. . . healed you."

"You did," Thaw said, smiling. Elsa smiled back.

"Thaw?" Elsa said.

"Yeah?"

"You can go," She said. "Go to Arendelle, and save the others. Bring them back here."

Thaw's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes," Elsa said, smiling. Thaw stared at her, her mouth hanging open. Then, her mouth twisted into a smile, and she let out a squeal of delight.

"I'm gonna be a hero!" She cried, racing around the ice palace. "I'm gonna be a hero!"

Elsa stopped Thaw, grabbing her by the collar. "But, you're going to need some of these," She said, creating an ice bag out of thin air and filling it with enchanted snowballs. She handed it to Thaw, who stared at it, confused.

"What do these do?" Thaw asked, looking up to stare at her aunt.

"You'll find out," Elsa reassured. "Now go, Thaw! Go and save your parents!"

"I will!" Thaw shouted, and she turned around to leave.

"Wait!" Elsa shouted. Thaw turned around, exasperated, and saw Elsa create an ice horse and say, "This will get you there faster."

Thaw stared at Elsa blankly. "Thank you," She said. She then jumped onto the horse, which neighed before riding towards the palace gates. It burst through the doors and soared down the ice steps before taking off down the mountains towards Arendelle, Thaw riding on its back.

Elsa watched her leave, and wiped away a tear. "I'm so proud of her," She said.

Marshmallow lumbered into the room and stared at Elsa, who turned to look at him. "Marshmallow, get the snowglies ready," She said, and put on a determined face.

"Soon, it will be time to retake my kingdom."

* * *

 _Read and review._


	36. Rescue

_MHS0501: Well, we kind of needed it after all the bickering they went through previously._

 _Strange and proud of it: Thank you._

 _I am a burglar: Sure thing. Though, I don't think you'd want to go back there._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Okay..._

 _Korrasami 88: Hooray!_

 _Miaka: Refer to my first response._

 _HollieC1974: Maybe._

 _Antha1: Who said she killed all the royals? And who said Thaw will take on Agni with enchanted snowballs? As for Elsa, she still has her magic, it's just weaker._

* * *

Everywhere he looked, Flint could only see pain. Within the castle, on the streets, in the town. Ever since Agni had deformed the entire kingdom into a caricature of its former self, the townspeople had been suffering.

With the armor he and Agni's men were wearing, they were unaffected by the curse Agni had cast upon the kingdom. But he could hear the screaming of the children inside their homes as they were forced to inhale the intoxicating smell of their igneous surroundings. Stepping on the ground itself was like walking on magma if you were barefoot. Looking out the window, he could see how all the citizens had horrific burns scarring their skin.

He knew why Agni had cast the curse; to prevent Elsa from returning to the kingdom. If she came back to challenge Agni, the affects of the curse would only increase the curse cast upon her.

Even then, he thought, did the entire kingdom deserve to suffer just so Agni could prevail over Elsa?

"Hey."

Flint turned to one of the cells to see who had spoken. It was Prince Howard.

"Remember me?" The prince asked.

Flint vaguely recalled their brief conversation not too long ago. He nodded.

"So, my father is very wealthy," The prince said. "If you free me, I'll make sure that he pays you and your family very well? What do you say?"

Flint was silent for a moment. He did want to free him and everyone else trapped; not for money, but because he couldn't bare to see anyone in such horrid conditions. During Agni's reign as the Phoenix, Flint's pity for his former childhood friend had slowly turned to ire. He badly wanted to see her reformed somehow, to change her ways so that nobody else would have to suffer, but he could see the futility of it. Agni's heart was too hardened to be mellowed.

"I'm sorry," He said, not just to Howard but everyone else imprisoned. "But I cannot. For my daughter's sake, I must stand by my queen."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anna get up and take a few steps towards the cell door, her chains restraining her. "But what about my daughter?" She asked.

"And my son?" Flora questioned, cradling her grandchildren in her arms. Flint still remembered seeing Christian, deformed by Agni's magic so that he was a puppet of her will.

Flint turned away, unwilling to answer them, for he knew he could not.

The doors to the hallways opened, and another guard entered. He strode up to Flint and said, "Fire Queen Agni has commanded for the prisoners Anna and Kristoff to be taken out."

Flint's eyes widened slightly, and he turned to Anna and Kristoff, who themselves were staring at the guard in shock. Slowly, realization sunk in.

"Why has she called them?" Flint asked, though he already knew the answer.

"They have been sentenced to death."

* * *

Thaw rode the frosted horse through the woods, dodging under the forest thickets as she neared the kingdom. The closer she got to Arendelle, the more she could feel the affects of the curse Agni had cast upon it.

The putrid smell of brimstone entered her nostrils, as did the scent of charred flesh. The young girl nearly puked as she took in the smell, and wondered how the person who she had admired so greatly had been responsible for so much misery. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, though. She knew she had to concentrate on her objective: saving her parents and the other prisoners.

As she neared the kingdom, she could feel the horse under her begin to slow down its pace. "What are you doing?" She whispered to the frozen animal as it stopped galloping. "Get a move on. Giddy-up!"

Her eyes widened when she saw water beginning to spill underneath the horse, and she realized to her horror that the frozen horse was melting. Getting into such close proximity with the cursed kingdom would no doubt affect the horse to the point that it couldn't stand the heat.

"No, no, no," The young princess whispered as the horse began to kneel down. Its legs buckled as it collapsed, causing Thaw to tumble onto the ground. As she sat up, she looked to where the horse was standing, and saw that it had already been reduced to a puddle.

"Oh frostbite," She whispered, slamming her tiny fist into the ground. "Now what am I going to do?"

It was then that she realized that she didn't really have a plan. She knew all the secret entrances to the castle, ones even Agni and her men didn't know about, but how could she take down all the guards once she was inside?

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps coming her way. Dodging behind a bush, she peaked her head out to see a group of Agni's men, herding several hiding townspeople towards the kingdom.

"Get a move on, all of you," One of the guards shouted. "Queen Agni wants the entire kingdom to bear witness to the execution of former princess Anna and Kristoff."

Thaw gasped in horror, and covered her mouth. Agni was going to kill her parents? She didn't have much time at all.

As the princess began to panic, she heard a shout coming from nearby. Turning around, she saw a small cabin in the distance. The door to the cabin as swung open, and one of Agni's men was hurled out the door, landing on the ground nearby.

"Bye-bye!" A voice within the cabin called out, before the doors were slammed shut.

"That man is crazy!" The guard said as he got to his feet. He approached his comrades and said, "I'm leaving."

"But Queen Agni wants everyone in the town square," One of the other guards reminded.

"There's no way I'm going back in there!" The first guard said defiantly. "Let's get out of here!" With that, the guards continued off towards the kingdom.

Thaw watched them go, and then turned to the cabin. Her eyes widened in shock when she recognized the cabin, and who lived there. A smile formed on her lips as a plan formed in her mind.

The young girl rushed towards the cabin. She had an offer to make to the cabin's owner, one more valuable than money. One he couldn't refuse.

* * *

Anna and Kristoff were marched towards the town square to await their execution. Agni had ordered them hanged in front of all the citizens of Arendelle.

Crowds of townspeople had gathered in the streets to bare witness to the unjust execution. Many of them had not wanted to witness it, but had been forced to by Agni's men. Even still, many of the citizens were shouting out in protest, unwilling to stand by and allow Arendelle's royalty be murdered by a despot.

Agni stood in the midst of the town square, watching as the two prisoners were brought forth. Next to her was the gallows, twin nooses swaying idly. She smiled when she saw the two prisoners be brought out, chained and restrained.

Despite their predicament, Anna and Kristoff stood tall and proud, their faces held high. Agni ignored this, figuring that the two would like to face their deaths with dignity.

She didn't notice Anna wink to Kristoff as they neared the gallows.

"Mommy."

Anna's eyes widened in surprise, and she whipped her head towards the crowd. She nearly let out a gasp when she saw none other than Thaw, hidden in the masses, a look of panic in her eyes. She nudged Kristoff, who saw his daughter as well. He let out a brief sigh of relief to see his daughter safe.

"Mommy," Thaw whispered again, though her voice was drowned out by the protesting of the townsfolk. Anna shook her head to Thaw, as if gesturing for her to leave.

"Elsa's alive," Thaw whispered, cupping her mouth and making sure the guards didn't notice her. "I'll save you and the others."

"Stay quiet," Anna finally whispered to her daughter. Thaw squinted her eyes, confused, and Anna finally winked to her and smiled.

Thaw understood, if only slightly. Slowly, she slunk back into the crowd, careful not to be seen by the guards. Anna and Kristoff then turned back to stare at the gallows, and at Agni, wondering if she had seen Thaw. She hadn't.

As they were led towards the gallows, Anna briefly grinned.

She didn't know what Thaw was planning, but she knew that her daughter would be able to help set things right.

* * *

"We're all gonna die!" Princess Circe cried from within her cell. "Once Agni is done killing Anna and Kristoff, we're going to be next!"

"Get a hold of yourself!" King Andreas snapped. "We won't die. This was just a minor setback, that's all. We're going to figure out an escape plan, and then we can take down that fire witch!"

"So what's your plan, oh mighty Andreas?" The Duke of Hesse asked. "Are you going to sing her a lullaby?"

Within his own cell, Kai sighed. "I don't know what's worse," He said, rolling his eyes. "The fact that Agni turned Arendelle into Lava Land, or all of you bickering!"

This seemed to shut all of the nobles up. Kai stood up.

"Now I don't know if we're all going to make it to tomorrow," The old servant said. "But I do know that arguing like little children is not going to solve anything. Princess Thaw has contributed more than all of you combined!"

The other prisoners looked to Kai, somewhat humiliated by his truthful words.

"If you didn't plan on helping, why did you bother to come here?" Kai asked. "If you truly want to live to see tomorrow, and to see this monster dethroned, then I suggest you all grow up and start acting like adults!"

For a moment, there was silence. The other nobles were left to ponder Kai's words.

Then, the prisoners heard punching and kicking coming from down the hallway, followed by grunts of pain.

"Oof!"

"Ow!"

"What the Devil?" Kai asked, grabbing onto the cell bars as he stared down in the direction of the hallways. All the prisoners stared into the dark hallways as they heard loud footsteps coming their way.

Suddenly, the hallway doors were smashed open, and one of Agni's guards was sent flying through the hallway. He crashed into a wall and slid onto the ground, unconscious. The prisoners gasped in surprise.

"What?" Kai whispered, looking at the destroyed door. "Who?"

For a moment, there was silence. All the prisoners could see was the dark hallways.

Then, everyone saw the small form of Princess Thaw scurry through the door. "Don't worry," She reassured the prisoners. "I'm here to get you all out." She immediately began to grab the cell keys off of one of the unconscious guards. She then went to work, unlocking each door.

"But how?" King Andreas asked as his door was unlocked. "How did you take down the guards?"

"Oh, it wasn't me," Thaw said casually, moving onto the next door.

At that moment, the prisoners saw a large man squeeze through the door, dragging two dazed guards behind him. One with bright blue eyes, a pink nose, and a strawberry-blonde mustache.

"Hoo-hoo! Big prison breakout, yeah?" Oaken said cheerfully.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	37. On the Way to Freedom

_BookLuv: Oh, good to know this story stood out to me._

 _MHS0501: I figured he should have some use besides being a cameo._

 _I am a burglar: Well, it's too late now._

 _Strange and proud of it: Your welcome._

 _Anna and Thaw: I didn't delete this because it technically wasn't trolling. And how is anyone acting out of character, exactly?_

 _Miaka: First guess, huh?_

 _HollieC1974: Well let's just see how things pan out._

 _Antha1: Eh, hanging seems more formal. And useful to the plot._

* * *

Flint watched as Anna and Kristoff were taken to the gallows to be executed. Agni had wanted them hanged in front of the whole of Arendelle, to break their spirits to see their remaining royalty be put to death before their eyes. When that happened, surely they wouldn't have the will to rebel against their new ruler.

Around him, the crowd were shouting their protests at the wicked queen as she stood atop the gallows, awaiting her prisoners be brought to her. The shouts of "Demon!" "Monster!" "Witch!" were only a few of the words hurled at the Fire Queen.

Flint admired their courage. In Arcturus, no person would dare refer to the Queen by such foul names, much less in her presence, lest they wished for death. However, he knew it was also stupid, and futile. No amount of protesting would change Agni's mind; in fact, it could prove more deadly than anything.

As Anna and Kristoff walked up the stairs, the shouting and protesting only increased. Agni had been mostly ignoring the jeers of the townspeople, but now, he could see Agni was on the tip of fiery anger. Her eyes were closed shut and she took a deep breath, letting the insults rain down upon her.

 _Evil despot!_

 _Burn in Hell, demon!_

 _May your body rot!_

When her eyes opened, Flint could see only fire in them.

Before anyone could react, Agni rose her arm up, and a wave of fire arose from the ground beneath the feet of a section of the crowd, consuming them in flames. Their screams of agony were cut short as they were utterly engulfed in red fire. Around them, terrified townspeople scattered as scores of them were obliterated right before their eyes.

When the smoke cleared, the crowd could see a massive pile of ashes and cinders where their fellow folk used to stand. Silence swept through the crowd, in utter contrast to the uproar mere moments ago. Even Flint stood there, his face paled in shock.

"Anyone else?!" Agni shouted out, her eyes scanning the crowd for anymore signs of dissent. A grin appeared on her lips when she saw the citizens of Arendelle cowed before her.

"Now, where were we?" She asked, turning to the two prisoners, chained and standing before her. Anna and Kristoff glared at her, enraged at the death of their subjects.

"Former princess Anna of Arendelle and Ice Master Kristoff, I, Queen Agni, hereby sentence you to death," Agni sneered to them. The two prisoners didn't say a word; they simply walked past Agni towards the twin nooses that sway above them.

Flint watched on, angry at Agni's display of tyranny. He knew it would be only the first of many acts of despotism towards Arendelle's citizens now that she was ruler, just like she had done with Arcturus.

Unwilling to watch the execution, Flint began to slink away from the crowd and back towards the castle. He knew Agni was too preoccupied with the sensation of killing off two potential threats to her rule to notice his absence. Even as he walked towards the castle, he could hear Agni give the death sentence to Anna and Kristoff.

He wished their souls peace.

Then, as he came closer to the castle, he heard a crash in the dungeons below it.

* * *

Within the dungeons, Thaw had freed nearly all of the prisoners. Agni's guards, meanwhile, were thrown into the very cells they had been guarding mere minutes ago.

Thaw reached the last cell and unlocked it. Immediately, Ander rushed out of the cell towards Thaw.

"Oh, Ander!" Thaw said, embracing the reindeer, happy at being reunited after being separated for so long. She then turned to the imprisoned guards.

"We'll deal with the lot of you when Elsa comes back!" Thaw snapped at the guards through the cell bars, trying to look brave. She then turned around to face the nobles.

"There's a secret entrance that leads out the back of the castle," She explained to them. "Agni and everyone else is at the front of the castle in the town square. They won't notice us slip out."

"Excellent, princess," King Andreas congratulated. "We were wrong to have misjudged you. But, where will we go?"

"Elsa's in the mountains," Thaw explained to the nobles. "I'll take you there, and we can form a plan with Elsa to stop Agni!"

"Good!" Andreas said, grinning.

Thaw began to gesture for the freed prisoners to follow her down the dark hallways. The corridors were filled with the nobles, Arendelle's guards, Christian's family, and the trolls as they rushed to reach the back exit.

The hallways were twisted and burning, as a result of Agni's magic. There were glowing orange stalactites sticking out from the ceilings and walls, hampering their escape. The prisoners had to struggle to avoid the pointy objects as they squeezed through the hallways.

The escapees heard the sound of a loud groaning sound coming from the end of the hallway. Thaw stopped the crowd, grabbing a torch of the wall to illuminate the hallways to see what was there.

She found a pair of glowing yellow eyes staring back at her. Before Thaw's eyes, she saw a lava monster crawl through the hallways towards the group, lava dripping from its gaping jaws. Screams of terror rippled through the group.

Thaw trembled in fear as the lava monster approached her. Instinctively, she waved the torch in front of her, shouting, "Get back! Get back!" She struck the beast in the jaw with the torch, only for it to break off upon impact. The princess froze as she found herself holding only the edge of the torch.

"Well, I probably should've seen that coming," She said to herself.

The lava monster let out a roar and surged towards the young princess. Behind her, the escapees all backed away in fear.

Thaw quickly reached into her pocket, and pulled out the bag filled with the snowballs Elsa had given her. "This better work," She mumbled to herself, and hurled the tiny snowball at the lava monster as it reached to grab her in its large hands.

The snowball pelted against the lava beast's shoulder, scarcely slowing it down as it lunged towards her. As Thaw stood still, eyes shut, waiting to feel the lava monster's burning hands grab her, she heard the lava monster let out a gasping wheeze. Opening her eyes, she saw the snow on the monster's shoulder begin to expand over the lava monster's large body, slowly encasing it in ice.

"Goodness," Princess Circe whispered from the back of the group.

The lava monster struggled to reach forward, but the ice expanded over it until it was fully encased in ice. Soon, the lava monster was nothing more than an ice statue.

"Phew," Thaw said, sighing in relief. Hesitantly, she reached forward and tapped the ice statue on the head. Immediately, the statue shattered into ice and crumbled onto the ground, causing Thaw to stumble backwards. Straightening up, she said, "Come on!"

The group continued forward, rushing through the corridors, this time more confident. Occasionally, they'd come across a lava monster or one of Agni's guards in the corridors, but Thaw would freeze them in place with her snowballs before they could do much damage.

Soon enough, the group saw sunlight coming from the edge of the hallways. "Yes!" Thaw said, rushing faster than before. 'We're at the exit! We're free!"

Just as Thaw was about to reach outside, she saw a shadow cast over the ray of sunlight. Before she could see who it was, she felt the tip of a spear poking her chest. Behind her, the crowd stopped in their tracks.

Gulping, Thaw looked up to see none other than Flint, blocking the entrance. His sword was in his hands, the tip of it aimed at Thaw's chest.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The bodyguard asked, glaring at Thaw. The young princess stood where she was, unmoving. She realized that she didn't have time to reach into her pocket and grab another snowball.

"Elsa sent you here, didn't she?" Flint asked. "To free everybody?"

Thaw slowly nodded. "We're going to stop Agni and free the kingdom," She said. "Now let us pass. Now."

"I can't," Flint said bitterly. "If I do, all of Arcturus will pay for it when Agni finds out I let you go. My daughter will pay for it." He pressed the sword against Thaw's chest. The crowd was silent behind her.

Thaw breathed heavily, and looked up to stare Flint in the eyes. "How long are you going to let Agni push you around?" She asked, standing tall in spite of the sword pressed against her body. "Are you going to let her bully you your whole life? Are you going to allow your daughter to grow up with such an evil queen ruling over her. What about her?'

"It's for her own good," Flint said.

"Is it really?" Thaw asked. "What's better? A quick death doing the right thing, or a slow one under the heel of a monster? I don't know about you, but I'd rather die, right here and now. At least I'll go the grave a free girl."

As she stared into Flint's eyes, she saw his expression change. He said nothing, but the look in his eyes said everything.

Flint lowered his sword. "Go, now," He said, stepping to the side of the entrance. "Leave, before I change my mind!"

Immediately, Thaw bolted out the the entrance and out the back of the castle. The other escapees followed suite, rushing out of the dungeons and towards the forest. A few paused to thank Flint for his mercy as they left.

"May God bless your soul," Prince Howard told the guard as he exited.

Flint watched as the escapees rushed out into the forest. Unexpectedly, he shouted, "Wait!"

While most of the escapees ignored him and continued to flee into the forest, Thaw stopped and turned to face Flint.

"When you return with Elsa and defeat Agni, promise me you'll bare no hard feelings against my kingdom," He asked. "Nobody wanted to go along with it; it was all Agni's doing."

Thaw smiled and nodded. "For your daughter's sake," She said. Then, she rushed into the forest, leaving the guard at the back of the castle.

As she ran, Princess Circe said, "Thaw, what about your parents?"

Thaw paused for a moment, turning back to stare at the kingdom. She realized that she had left them. However, she remembered Anna's look to her back at the crowd, and she smiled and said confidently, "They'll figure something out."

With that, she continued towards the mountains.

* * *

Agni watched with glee as Anna and Kristoff had the noose tugged over the heads by the executioner. Anna and Kristoff had retained the same look of stoicism ever since they had reached the gallows.

"Do you want to face death with some honor?" She taunted the two. She motioned for the hanging man to open the hatchet for Anna and Kristoff to fall through as per their execution.

"If it's any consolation, I might spare your daughter when I find her," She sneered at the two. When the two didn't respond, Agni asked, "Do you have any final words before your death?"

"Yeah," Kristoff said. "Come here."

As Agni leaned in, she heard the faint sound of the click of a lock behind Kristoff and Anna.

 _CRACK!_

Before Agni could react, Kristoff's fist connected with her face, knocking her back. With a shout, she collapsed off the gallows and onto the ground below just in time to see Kristoff's shackles clatter onto the ground next to her.

"What?!" Agni shouted out in shock, looking up at Kristoff and Anna. "How did you-"

It was then that she saw Kristoff pick the locks of Anna's shackles with a carrot. It didn't take long before she recognized who the carrot belonged to.

"Olaf!" She shouted, only now remembering the snowman.

A shout of surprise erupted from the crowd, and Agni turned around to see the snowman himself, riding Sven through the crowd. The snowman was missing his nose, but had a triumphant grin on his face nonetheless as he neared the gallows.

"Before you sent us to the gallows, Olaf gave us his nose!" Anna explained to Agni as she and Kristoff removed the nooses and jumped off the hatchet. "We both knew his nose was good at picking locks! Bet you didn't anticipate that, Agni?"

Agni was silent only for a moment. Then, with a roar of anger, she threw out her arm, and a blast of fire was sent in Anna and Kristoff's direction. However, the two dodged under the fire blast.

"Time to go!" Kristoff said, grabbing Anna by the waist with one arm. With the other, he grabbed onto one of the nooses and used it to swing him and his wife from the gallows and over the crowd. The townsfolk let out a gasp of awe.

Sven leaped through the air, and Anna and Kristoff landed on his back. The crowd all rushed out of the way as the reindeer landed on the ground and proceeded to bolt through the town square.

Agni growled in frustration. Throwing out her arm, she summoned several rocky spikes out of the ground to pierce the reindeer and its occupants. Sven dodged through the spikes to avoid being pierced by them.

"They're getting away!" Agni shouted to her guards. "Get them!"

The guards attempted to pursue the escapees, but couldn't keep up. By then, the four had escaped the town square and were now riding out the kingdom and towards the forest, leading to the mountains.

Soon, they had exited Arendelle and were now fleeing the kingdom.

"We made it!" Anna shouted, stunned at their escape. Grabbing Kristoff, she shouted, "We made it!"

"No time for celebrations yet!" Kristoff said. "We're not out of the fire yet. Now, we just have to make it to Elsa's ice palace before we can actually celebrate our escape!"

* * *

 _Read and review._


	38. Reunion

_TheDisneyFan365: Whoa. Do you really hate Agni that much?_

 _Miaka: Well, he had to have some relevance to the plot :P_

 _Anna and Thaw: Knock it off._

 _The 379th Hero: Really? That's all you had to say. Some hero you are._

 _Strange and proud of it: Great._

 _Guest: I'm assuming this is Antha1. I don't get the joke about Saturday morning cartoons._

 _HollieC1974: Well, they were the heroes in their own film._

 _I am a burglar: It was inevitable, wasn't it._

 _Antha1: She knew her parents had a plan; didn't you read the last chapter? And even if he couldn't overpower all of them, if he killed Thaw... yeah, that wouldn't be good._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Done what again? Kill people?_

* * *

When Flint returned to the town square, he was surprised to see a row of rocky shards in the streets, as well as the empty gallows. The crowd was hiding throughout the town.

In the center of the town square was Queen Agni herself. Even from far away, he could see the dourness and emptiness in her eyes as she paced aimlessly around the town square before the ruined gallows. Her fists were clenched and her face was disfigured by a nasty bruise and a few minor cuts, a result of Kristoff's bold strike against her, followed by the resulting plummet from the gallows.

It was a depressing sight for Flint, to see his queen like this. He knew instantly that the execution had failed, and Anna and Kristoff had escaped. He could see it in her eyes that she knew she had failed. Now, the princess and ice master of Arendelle were on the loose, and would no doubt form a plan to counterattack.

Trying to mask his own treachery, Flint said, "Queen Agni, the prisoners escaped. They were freed by Princess Thaw."

Flint saw the way Agni's eyes seemed to darken. She faced him, her eyes blazing with cold fury. He could feel the ground below him seem to increase in smoldering heat, and for a moment, he braced himself for the worst.

Yet it didn't come.

"It matters not," Agni declared, straightening tall and facing Flint. "These fools cannot hope to defeat me. If, and when they come back, I will crush them as quickly as I did before. And this time, I won't leave any of them left to escape me!"

Turning to face the cowering townsfolk, Agni growled, "If any of you are found harboring these escapees, the consequences will be most severe! Now get out of my sight, lest you want a taste of what awaits you in Hell!" Immediately, the townsfolk fled the town square to retreat inside their houses.

Agni turned to Flint and said, "Rally the men! I want you to go and find those prisoners and kill them on the spot. It will be _your_ head and your daughter's if you disobey me! Do you understand."

Flint paused for a moment, and Agni narrowed her eyes at him. Then, Flint nodded before turning to leave.

As he did, Agni didn't notice the look of hatred in his eyes as he left the town square.

* * *

"So, what offer did Princess Thaw give you?" Kai asked Oaken as he and the other escaped prisoners trekked through the woods in the direction of the mountains. They had fled the castle as quickly as possible, and the kingdom was now a far distance away.

"It was simple," Oaken replied cheerfully. "She gave me the grand offer of freedom!"

". . . Oh," Kai said, looking away.

"And the side offer of being the Master Trading Person of Arendelle," He added. At that, Kai's eyes widened and he turned around to look at Thaw, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"So, how far until we reach the mountains?" Princess Circe asked. "These high heels are killing me walking through these forests."

"Just a couple of hours," Thaws said. "It took me and Elsa a few minutes thanks to her powers, but on foot. . . and with normal people. . ."

Behind her, she heard Howard shout out, alarmed, "I don't think it's going to take a couple of hours! Look!"

All eyes whipped around, and Thaw gasped when she saw a series of glowing yellow eyes staring out in the darkness of the forest, followed by low growling. Slowly, a pack of wolves with glistening orange fur lurked out of the shadows and approached the escapees. Lava dripped from their jaws as they stalked the terrified group of escapees.

"I should have known Agni wouldn't let us get away that easily," Thaw whispered, backing away slowly.

As the wolves approached her, Thaw whipped out one of Elsa's enchanted snowballs. "Stay back!" She warned the wolves. Suddenly, one of the wolves fired a blast of fire out of its mouth and in her direction, causing her to shout and drop onto the ground to avoid it. The fireball struck a nearby tree, burning the top of it off completely.

The bag of snowballs collapsed onto the ground and were immediately seared by the lava wolves. "Oh no," Thaw whispered in horror as her most efficient weapon against Agni's creations was eliminated. Looking up, she saw one of the wolves hiss and growl at her before diving at her.

Thaw let out a scream and shielded her face, only to hear a piercing sound, followed by a howl of pain.

"What?" She whispered, uncovering her eyes. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw none other than Anna and Kristoff standing over the wolf. A sword was in their hands, and they were pressing it into the wolf's head. The lava monster howled and thrashed out, followed by a squishing sound. Immediately, the wolf's body went limp, and it devolved into lava.

Turning to their daughter, Anna said, "Thaw!" Before embracing her daughter warmly. Thaw briefly returned the hug, happy that her mother was safe, but the two were interrupted when Kristoff said, "Um, guys. We're not out of the fire yet."

The group turned around to see the rest of the lava wolves approach them slowly, growling in fury.

Anna grabbed the hilt of the sword and yanked it out of the ground, aiming it at the wolves threateningly. "Come on!" She challenged, ushering Thaw behind her.

The wolves all let out a growl, and began to charge. Anna braced herself, and the rest of the group prepared for combat.

Suddenly, the group felt a burst of winter snow chill them. Opening their eyes, they saw the lava wolves get frozen into solid ice within seconds, just as they were about to pounce. After a few moments, the ice statues shattered into a million pieces onto the ground.

The group were surprised to see the fiery, accursed ground beneath them be replaced with chilling ice. As it did, the group saw Marshmallow appear out of the forest, followed by the snowglies.

Anna's eyes widened. "Elsa?" She whispered, looking around to find her sister. For a few moments, there was silence.

Then, slowly, the group saw Elsa walk out of the shadows. Anna was initially overjoyed to see her sister and rushed to hug her, but froze when she saw how Elsa looked.

Elsa's hair was partially red, and her skin looked tanner than usual. Her icy blue eyes had turned golden, and even her dress now had an orange tinge to it.

". . . Elsa?" Anna whispered, her eyes widening in horror. Behind her, everyone gasped except for Thaw.

"It's a long story," Elsa said, gesturing with her arms to calm everyone down. "But short form is, Agni put a curse on me. But we mustn't worry about that right now. Now, we must focus on stopping the Fire Queen!"

"But Elsa, you're-" Anna started, but was cut off by Thaw.

"Mom," She said, shooting a stare at Anna, who immediately closed her mouth.

Grand Pabbie walked out of the group slowly and approached Elsa. "Come close to me," The old troll requested. Elsa obeyed and knelt down to the elderly shaman's eye level. The troll felt her head, and slowly pulled away.

"Agni has indeed cursed you," He said. "It is the same curse you cast upon your sister years ago. An act of true love is necessary to revoke it; if you don't, you will die."

A horrified gasp arose from the crowd. Elsa, meanwhile, merely nodded her head in acceptance and muttered bitterly, "Well, at least I now know what it feels like to be Anna."

"Sucks, doesn't it?' Anna couldn't help but comment.

Pabbie decided to shed some hope on the situation. "Thanks to your powers, the curse may take longer to take full affect," He explained. "But even then, we don't have much time. You're the only one who's powers are equal to Agni's."

Elsa shook her head. "No, their not," She said. "We fought. She's more powerful than I am. I couldn't beat her even without the curse. But now, with the curse weakening my powers; how will I stand a chance?"

"Because you'll have us," King Andreas said, stepping forward confidently.

"Count me in," Prince Howard agreed, standing next to the king. Elsa smiled in gratitude, but then frowned.

"We have to form a strategy, but we don't have much time," She said. "How will we strike back at Agni when the whole kingdom is crawling with her soldiers."

"I believe I can be of assistance."

All heads whipped around. There, standing in the shadows, was none other than Flint.

The Fire Queen's former guard stepped out of the darkness slowly. There was a look of uncertainty on his face, as if even he couldn't believe what he was doing. He took a deep breath and approached the group.

Anna shielded Thaw. "Keep away," She said, narrowing her eyes and aiming the sword at him.

"Wait," Thaw said, lowering her mother's arm. Anna blinked in confusion as Thaw approached Flint. Taking him by the hand, she said, "He let us escape the castle. I think we can trust him."

Flint let out a sigh and looked up to face the group. "I know I may have done some questionable things," He confessed. "Me and my kingdom owe everyone here severely. But I promise you all that I want to help. Agni has hurt everyone around her, including those in Arcturus. They need to be freed from this tyrant just as much as you do."

Elsa stared at Flint, a somewhat skeptical look in her eyes. Flint couldn't bare to look her in the eyes.

"I know, you don't trust me," He said, throwing his arms up in frustration. "Who can blame you all? But if you don't trust my word, than I guess you can just kill me and be done with it." As he said this, he pulled out his sword and dropped it to the ground, disarming himself.

For a moment, there was a cold silence. Flint shut his eyes, preparing for the worst.

Then, he felt Elsa's hand on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw Elsa, gazing at him warmly.

"Flint, I think your heart has been thawed," She said, smiling and with a tear in her eye.

Flint stared at her in shock. Then, he too, smiled warmly.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	39. The Battle for Arendelle

_Al Drin Hoshizora: Because then he'd be burnt to a crisp._

 _Ravio: Uh-huh._

 _The 379th Hero: Well, the final battle is coming up shortly. You can wait._

 _TheDisneyFan365:...Okay._

 _Miaka: It was bound to happen._

 _I am a burglar: If you don't get frozen first._

 _Anna and Thaw: Sigh..._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Gee, I wonder..._

 _Antha1: Oh, like Agni's going to let a refugee caravan leave Arendelle. And what are you talking about? Thaw didn't threaten Oaken; she meant freedom from AGNI._

* * *

The former prisoners of Arendelle stood on the outskirts of the accursed kingdom, gazing upon it from the wide berth of the massive forest. From the distance away, the kingdom looked more like a volcano, a product of Agni's magic.

"So, what's the plan?" Kristoff asked Elsa. "How are you going to beat the Fire Witch?"

"Remember Anna's 19th birthday?" Elsa whispered, winking. As she did, a large group of snowglies appeared out of the trees and by the side of the royals. A few of them jumped a bit in surprise.

Anna and Kristoff's eyes widened a bit before realization sunk in. "Oh," They said in unison, and they both grinned at Elsa.

The ex-queen of Arendelle turned to Flint. "Do you have any idea where Agni's guards are stationed?" She asked.

Flint nodded. Pointing out different sections of the kingdom, he said, "The biggest battalions are stationed around those areas. You might want to bring the brunt of your force there."

Elsa nodded. Turning to everyone present, she said, "Soon, we're going to battle Agni's army, and we're going to retake my kingdom! And I'm going to fight Agni and this time, I'll bring her down!"

The other nobles cheered. As Elsa prepared to lead them to the kingdom, Flora grabbed her by the shoulder and said, "Elsa, wait!"

Elsa halted in her advancement. "What is it?" She asked, patience running out very quickly.

"There's something you have to know about Queen Agni before you fight her," Flora explained to the former queen. "So you understand what you're up against. The trolls showed us her past."

Elsa sighed. "Can you explain this to us on the way?"

"Fine," Flora said, clasping her hands together.

Elsa turned back to the nobles. "Alright, everybody, let's go!" She shouted, and the nobles continued on their way towards the kingdom. Marshmallow and the snowglies followed close behind.

As they advanced upon the kingdom, Elsa said, "So, what's this about Agni's past?"

"You see, Agni's our daughter," Flora said to the ex-queen.

Elsa stopped, her eyes widening in shock.

"Wait, what?"

* * *

Agni stood atop the balcony of the castle overlooking Arendelle, gazing down bitterly at the kingdom she had cursed. Her once golden eyes were now dim with depression, and her hair was a tangled mess. Even she could feel the hot igneous rock burn through the kingdom.

Ever since all her prisoners had escaped, her men's morale had sunken now that their leeway over their captives' kingdoms had vanished. Now, she knew it was only a matter of time until they returned to strike back.

When that happened, she would have to kill them all.

She gazed at her flotillas as they encircled the kingdom, watching for any sign of strife among its citizens. But they had been cowed by Agni's power, hidden within their homes and praying that their terror would be ended soon.

Agni hardly noticed when one of her guards rushed up to her, a panicked look on his face. "Queen Agni, Elsa has returned!" He said to her. "She and all the other prisoners. They've come to take back the kingdom."

Agni's face hardened at the news, even though she knew it was inevitable. "So, even on the brink of death, the Snow Queen wants to spend her last breath opposing me?" She asked, a dry tone in her voice. "Very well, then. I'll play her game. And this time, I won't rest until every part of her has been erased from this kingdom."

Waving her arm, she commanded to the guard, "Get the men ready for battle!"

The guard nodded and raced off. Agni smirked. Despite this major setback, she knew she still had the upper hand. Elsa's curse would no doubt hamper her abilities, and she couldn't defeat her even when she was at full power. She knew she would still win.

As she stared out the balcony, she could see the advancement of her former prisoners as they returned to the kingdom for battle. The battle to end it all.

Agni's face twisted into determination.

"Time to end this!" She said. "They'll never see me cry! It's time to finish what I started!"

* * *

As the massive group arrived at the kingdom,they had finished telling Elsa about Agni's history.

"That really sounds. . . interesting," Elsa said, scratching the back of her hair. "But why did she come back? She had what she wanted back at Arcturus. Why did she need to return here."

"I don't think we have time to answer these questions now," Kristoff pointed out, nudging Elsa and pointing at the kingdom. "Look!"

The group looked to the kingdom to see a battalion of Agni's men form at the entrance of the kingdom, weapons drawn. Their stony armor glistened in the sunlight as they faced off against their enemies.

Elsa stepped forward. "Soldiers of Agni, I, Elsa of Arendelle, have come to reclaim my kingdom!" She shouted out to the men. "I have come for Agni, so I am giving you one chance to back down now! If you refuse, you will have to take me on!"

Elsa stared at the men, prepared to battle if necessary. As she stared upon the battalion, she noticed a few of them take her offer of mercy and silently slink away. The others, however, stayed in formation.

"Don't let this Ice Witch fool you!" One of the men shouted to the others. "She's weakened by Agni's magic. Even now she stands on the abyss of death! Let's give her the final push!" The men cheered in agreement, and they proceeded to charge down the entrance towards Elsa.

Elsa groaned in aggravation. "So be it," She whispered.

Throwing out her arms, Elsa summoned a powerful blast of snow that collided with the battalion as they charged, pushing them back and causing them to crash onto the ground in a heap of armor. A few of them got back up to their feet, but they were overwhelmed by Elsa's magic. Soon, they had been frozen in place, unable to move.

The group rushed past the immobilized soldiers. "One down, so many more to go," Kristoff said.

Elsa nodded to him. "You might need these, then," She said, and with a flick of her wrist, she coated her group in frosted armor, gifting them with icy blades and other weapons to aid them.

Anna looked down at the frosted armor she was wearing. "I am liking the looks of this," She said with a smirk.

"Spread out!" Elsa commanded to her 'army'. "Go to the locations Flint told you! Agni's battalions are stationed there!"

The massive group nodded and rushed out into different sections of the kingdom, each in small battalions of their own.

"Secure my kingdom!" Elsa gave out the final command. Summoning a blast of snow beneath her, the Snow Queen used it to propel herself into the air. She soared over the kingdom towards the town square, watching as her own group rushed out and met the rest of Agni's battalions in combat.

Anna and Kristoff were at the front-lines of their 'battalion', beating back Agni's guards as they pushed past their defenses. One of Agni's soldiers brought his sword down upon Anna, who raised her frosted sword in defense. The moment the two blades clashed, the guard's blade shattered into pieces.

The guard froze in utter disbelief as his weapon was shattered effortlessly. He was so awestruck that he didn't have time to react when Anna headbutted him, knocking him to the ground, dazed.

Anna stared at her sword, which wasn't even dented. "Looks like this is made from the same ice as when I got frozen-" She mumbled, but was forced to duck when another guard swung his sword at her throat. Kristoff kicked the guard in the stomach, sending him flying backwards.

Thaw, meanwhile, was dashing from house to house, urging the terrified townsfolk out of their homes. "Come on, come on, run away!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Get as far away from the kingdom as possible!"

Many of the citizen obeyed and were quick to take off towards the kingdom's exits, with or without their belongings, leaving only Agni's men and Arendelle's rescuers to continue their battle.

In another part of the kingdom, a group of Agni's men fled in terror as they were pursued by the snow giant that was Marshmallow. A few of them stayed back to battle the snow golem, but were swatted away like they were flies.

Grabbing a handful of the guards in his massive claws, Marshmallow glowered at them before bellowing, _"DON'T COME BACK!"_ With that, he hurled the men out over the kingdom and into the fjord.

Marshmallow heard a growl coming from behind him, and he turned around. His empty eyes widened as he came face-to-face with one of Agni's lava monsters, lava dripping from its gaping jaw. The massive monster lumbered forward, claws extended, and let out a bellowing roar as it challenged Marshmallow to battle.

Marshmallow returned the roar, ice sprouting from his back, and he and the lava monster charged forward. They collided with each other, locking arms and grappling. The two golems pressed their weight against the other, trying to force the other back.

As Marshmallow grasped the lava monster's arms, ice began to spread across the other golem's body. The lava monster roared in agony as it was covered in ice. As it did, it sprayed lava from its mouth and onto Marshmallow's chest, melting part of his body.

Marshmallow growled in pain, lurching backwards as lava trickled down his chest. More lava monsters appeared from the darkness of the kingdom, surrounding Marshmallow from all sides. They roared at the ice golem before proceeding to spray him with lava as well.

Marshmallow was dowsed with the burning liquid. It melted him rapidly, chunks of his body breaking off and melting into a puddle. The snow golem felt the lava begin to burn him away, and he let out a roar of agony as he was overwhelmed by Agni's lava monsters.

Elsa heard Marshmallow's roars, and she turned in his direction just in time to see him collapse on the ground beneath Agni's lava monsters.

"Marshmallow!" She cried out in horror before rushing to his aid. With a powerful blast of ice, Elsa showered the lava monsters frost, freezing them in place. They collapsed onto the ground and shattered on impact.

With the lava monsters gone, Elsa rushed to Marshmallow. He lay on his back, most of his limps having melted into a muddle. He turned to gaze at Elsa with his black, empty eyes, filled with fear. He slowly raised a hand to Elsa's face.

Elsa took hold of one of his fingers. "Don't worry, Marshmallow; you'll be fine," She reassured the ice golem.

Marshmallow groaned, and he slowly rested onto the ground, becoming still.

Elsa knelt down over the snow golem, resting her head on his chest, her eyes closed. Around her, her 'army' arrived at the town square, having taken down most of Agni's battalion.

Elsa faintly heard the sound of Agni's flotilla beginning to head towards the docks to deploy reinforcements. Slowly, she got to her feet, her eyes open and filled with determination, and she faced the flotilla.

Taking a step forward, Elsa shouted out at the oncoming flotilla, "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle and this is my home! You and your evil queen will never harm my kingdom again!"

Throwing her arm out, Elsa cast a blast of snow into the air and towards the fjord. Spreading over the sea, the water quickly began to turn to ice at a rapid pace. The group watched in awe as Elsa transformed the fjord into ice like she had done nine years ago.

The flotilla advanced further in spite of this, but they were trapped as the fjord was frozen by Elsa's magic. Aboard the ships, Agni's men watched in utter shock as their navy was frozen in place as a result of Elsa's magic.

Agni's flotilla was stuck. The flotilla had been transformed into ice.

The visiting nobles watched on in shock. "Whoa," Prince Howard whispered after a lengthy silence.

Elsa turned to the castle. "Agni, come out now!" She commanded. "It's over; you're finished! Come and face the consequences of your actions like a true ruler!"

"Oh, I intend to, _Your Majesty_ ," A cold voice whispered from above. All eyes whipped upwards to see none other than Fire Queen Agni, standing atop one of the townhouses. She glowered down at them, a bitter smirk on her lips.

"It appears that I have underestimated you all," She said, looking around at the frozen fjord and her defeated battalions. "Even with death at your doorstep, you still choose to fight the inevitable."

"The only one with death at her doorstep is _you_!" King Andreas bellowed, pointing a frozen sword at her. "We've defeated your armies! Now, it is only you!"

Agni laughed. "You have not even come close to defeating my entire army!" She claimed. "Beside, they are not the ones to fear. _I_ am."

The group was about to charge at Agni, but Elsa stopped them. Stepping forward, she said, "Agni, this is between you and me. It's time we settled this once and for all."

Agni jumped off the house and landed in front of Elsa. "Indeed, my fair queen," She said. "Time for our little rematch."

"Yeah," Elsa said, narrowing her eyes at the Fire Queen. "And this time, I won't lose!"

Agni smirked. "Alright then," She said, getting into a fighting stance. "Let's go!"

* * *

 _Read and review._


	40. To Melt a Hardened Heart

_Al Drin Hoshizora: Great._

 _The 379th Hero: Really now?_

 _Like Elsa a lot: Thanks, but this was kind of...superfluous._

 _Miaka: Let's see how things pan out._

 _Anna and Thaw: Sigh..._

 _I am a burglar: Fine._

 _HollieC1974: Great._

 _Antha1: That might just work._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Okay._

* * *

Jonathan and Flora carried their grandchildren through the town, struggling to avoid the scattered townsfolk as they fled the town in spades. They had seen the fjord get frozen, and they knew that Elsa had, at least temporarily, halted Agni's men. They hadn't seen Agni during the fighting, however.

"We have to find out son!" Flora exclaimed as they neared the castle gates. "He's in there, somewhere?"

"But what will we do when we find him?" Jonathan asked. "Agni turned him into a. . . a monster."

The family halted as they neared the castle gates. There, they could see, in the town square, Elsa and Agni facing off against one another. The two groups were standing around the town square, watching to see how the battle would commence.

Flora watched the scene in horror. In spite of all her adopted daughter had done, she couldn't help but worry for Agni's safety. She wanted to rush in there and stop the fighting, but she realized that the only way to bring peace was if Agni was stopped.

Even if that meant Elsa had to kill her.

A shadow loomed over the family, and Flora whirled around and gasped. There was her son, standing at the gate of the castle. His eyes were glowing red; it was clear he was still under the influence of Agni's magic.

"Christian, my son!" Flora cried out, setting Abner down. "You can't let your sister control you like this! You have to fight it!"

Christian's expression gave no indication that he had heard his mother.

He stepped forth, his face hard as stone. There was a sword in his hands, which he dragged across the stone ground. His family stepped backwards in fear as Christian raised the sword into the air.

"Christian!" Jonathan shouted out as he shielded his wife and grandchildren.

"Daddy!" Dawn shouted in terror.

Christian paused only for a moment. Then, he brought the sword down upon them.

* * *

Elsa stared into the glowing eyes of her nemesis as they stood on opposite sides of the town square. Everyone else stood at the sidelines, watching as the two queens prepared to battle.

Sweat dripped from Elsa's brow. She could feel her heart burning inside of her. The curse was only getting worse; she knew she didn't have long. But if she would die today, she would spend her last moments fighting Agni, for the sake of her kingdom, her sister...

Her niece.

Agni, on the contrary, had a confident grin on her face. "How is your heart treating you?" She taunted, calling out from the other side of the town square. "I'd say you'd have less than an hour. No, less then ten minutes."

Elsa gritted her teeth, enraged by Agni's taunts.

"Do you really believe you can defeat me?" Agni asked, straightening up. "Snow is no match for fire; you know that. You couldn't defeat me in the forest, and that was without the curse. Do you really believe you can take me on with death at your crosshairs?"

Elsa's eyebrows furrowed. "Enough talk!" She shouted. "Are we going to fight or not?"

Agni grinned. "If you insist," She sneered. "It only means you'll die sooner." She got into a fighting stance, her hands glowing with blazing fire.

Elsa shifted her eyes. Then, as Agni prepared to fire, the Snow Queen rose her hands and unleashed a burst of snow into the air, unleashing a cloud of ice and snow that enveloped the town.

"What?" Agni said, surprised at Elsa's first move.

Immediately, the igneous rock melted away and was replaced with ice. As the Fire Queen watched in horror, her curse over the kingdom was quickly undone, and Arendelle was instead replaced with ice and snow.

"No!" She shouted, enraged, and she unleashed a blast of fire. Elsa saw the blast coming and dodged out of the way, crashing onto the ground. The fireball soared into the wall of the castle gates, sending several of Agni's men flying.

By then, half of the kingdom had been turned to ice. Agni's advantage was gone.

Elsa sprung to her feet, facing Agni. With a quick motion of her arm, she summoned an icicle out of the ground to pierce Agni. The Fire Queen dodged the ice pike and severed it with a swipe of her hand. She faced Elsa, her eyes ablaze.

"You will regret this!" She shouted, and with a blast of fire, she propelled herself into the air. Elsa watched in shock as the Fire Queen soared towards her, her hands ablaze. Thinking quickly, she followed suite, flying off the ground to meet her opponent in midair.

Elsa struck first, shooting a blast of ice from her fingertips. They caught Agni in the face, sending her flying backwards. However, it didn't keep her at bay for long, and Agni soon retaliated, sending a blast of fire down at Elsa. The Snow Queen summoned a shield of snow in midair to shield herself, but the force of the fire striking her smashed through the shield. Elsa let out a scream as she was knocked out of the air.

"Elsa!" Anna cried out in horror. Next to her, Kristoff ran out and caught the falling queen in his arms, causing the two to crash onto the ground and tumble over each other.

Elsa was thrown from Kristoff's grip and crashed onto the ground. Scrambling to her feet, she saw Kristoff still on the ground, and rushed to help him. Suddenly, Agni landed in between them.

"Uh, uh, uh," She taunted Elsa. "This is between you and me, remember?"

Elsa's eyes blazed with anger, and she fired a blast of snow at Agni. The Fire Queen sidestepped and lunged at Elsa, her fists blazing with fire. Her fist caught Elsa in the jaw, knocking her senses out. She was so stunned by the blow that she couldn't respond when a second punch slammed into her temple, causing her to stumble backwards. The back of her head cracked against the wall of a house, and the dazed queen collapsed on the ground, her head ringing.

Thaw, seeing her aunt in peril, rushed out. "Elsa!" She cried out.

Agni saw her coming and whirled around upon the small princess. Thaw stopped in her tracks as she saw Agni's eyes turn to her.

Agni's lips curled into a grin as she leered upon the princess. Thaw gulped, her skin turning pale. Her knees buckled as Agni outstretched her arm and grabbed her by the collar. With one arm, she lifted the princess into the air.

"Thaw!" Anna shouted in a panic. She was about to run into the middle of the town square herself, but was held back by some of the other royals.

"Poor princess," Agni sneered as she glared into Thaw's terrified blue eyes. "An aunt who doesn't love you, a mother and father who can't protect you. . . you're all alone."

Thaw gritted her teeth as she wrapped her fingers around Agni's wrist, trying to pry the queen's grip from her neck. Thinking fast, she used one arm to quickly delve into her small bag. She pulled out one of Elsa's snowballs.

Agni's eyes widened as Thaw smashed the enchanted snowball into her face. The force of the blow forced the queen to release the princess, who dropped onto the ground. She growled in pain, clutching her stinging cheek. Ice began to form on the side of the face.

At that moment, Anna released herself from the grip of the nobles and rushed towards her daughter and the evil queen. Kristoff, meanwhile, sprung to his feet and did the same thing.

Agni clutched her face and heated it, causing the ice to melt away before it could expand any further. She glared down at Thaw, her eyes ablaze with rage. With a yell, she struck Thaw in the face.

Thaw let out a shout as she was flung backwards. Her head smashed against the ground, and immediately she became still. The nobles watching let out a horrified gasp.

Agni heard Anna shout, and she whirled around as Thaw's mother brought her ice sword down upon her. She dodged out of the way of the sword. She continued to step backwards as Anna swung the sword at her.

"Do not touch my daughter!" Anna growled, and unleashed a kick into Agni's chest, causing her to stumble backwards. She was so distracted she didn't notice Kristoff charge at her from behind and land a blow to the back of her head.

Agni let out a pained screech and propelled herself into the air, landing on the roof of a house. She glared down at her foes, and unleashed a blast of fire in their direction. Anna and Kristoff rushed out of the way of the fireball, scooping up Thaw and rushing out of the line of fire.

Before Agni could hurl another blast of fire, an ice blast was hurled in her direction. Whirling around, the Fire Queen dodged under the ice blast, and saw Elsa, her hand aimed at her. Her other hand was clutching her ringing head.

"Ready for round two, I presume?" The Fire Queen sneered. Elsa slightly nodded.

"Alright then, let's see what you've got!" Agni called out, and she sent a fireball in Elsa's direction. The Snow Queen dodged the fireball and sent a blast of snow at Agni, who dodged as well.

For several minutes, the two exchanged blasts of fire and ice. Both of them either dodged or blocked the blasts. Agni growled in frustration; none of her fire blasts had dealt any damage upon Elsa. She would have to use another tactic.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Agni saw Anna and Kristoff, holding an unconscious Thaw in their arms and trying to revive her. She grinned, and pointed her finger at them.

Elsa saw Agni turn to her family, and knew what she was planning. However, this time she was ready.

Before Agni could fire, Elsa shot a small blast of ice in the Fire Queen's direction. Agni turned in Elsa's direction just as the blast of ice caught her in the shoulder. With a shout of pain, Agni was knocked off the roof of the house and dropped onto the ground, wounded.

The nobles, seeing Agni fall, immediately cheered in praise. Elsa, despite the situation, grinned.

Agni struggled to get to her feet. "How?" She asked, clutching her wounded shoulder. "That was supposed to distract you."

Elsa smirked. "So you left yourself open to attack just to distract me?" She asked. "How pathetic."

Agni growled, her eyes ablaze.

Suddenly, Elsa felt a stinging pain in her heart. With a cry, she collapsed on her knees, clutching her burning chest. Her hair began to turn fully red, and red marks appeared on her face and skin.

"Elsa!" Anna shouted in horror. In her arms, Thaw's eyes fluttered open, and she saw her aunt suffer under Agni's magic.

Sweat was pouring from Elsa's forehead. She realized, to her horror, that she'd taken too long in fighting Agni. The curse was beginning to take its final steps. Soon, she would be dead.

And Agni would have won.

* * *

Just as Christian had brought his sword down upon his family, his parents used the last of their strength to stumble out of the way of the blow, clutching their grandchildren. The four collapsed onto the ground under Christian.

Christian stared down at them, his eyes glowing. Taking the sword in both hands, he raised it again, prepared to strike once more, and this time, not miss.

Jonathan and Flora looked up at their son in fear, holding their grandchildren close. Just at that moment, Dawn broke out of Flora's grip and ran towards her father as he prepared to strike.

"Father!" She shouted, and embraced her father, wrapping her arms around his waste. Just like that, Christian froze, the sword in midair.

"Dawn, what are you doing?" Jonathan shouted in horror. "Get back here, now!"

"You can't do this, father," Dawn whispered to Christian, her eyes streaming with tears. "Don't you remember me? Don't you remember mother? Don't you remember your family?"

Christian's arms trembled as he held the sword over his daughter's head. He stared down at her with glowing eyes, his face twitching. Dawn looked up at him with teary eyes. Their eyes met.

As he stared into his daughter's eyes, Christian felt his heart melt.

Dawn could feel her father's burning skin turn cold. Christian's skin paled, his red hair turned blonde, and his glowing eyes returned to their natural color. Behind Dawn, Jonathan and Flora watched in shock, holding Abner.

Christian, now restored to normal, collapsed onto the ground. Jonathan and Flora rushed to his side and held their son, trying to help him up.

"Christian, my son," Flora whispered as she cradled her son's head in her arms. "Are you alright?"

Christian groaned and clutched his heart. It didn't feel like it was on fire anymore. It felt... normal.

Suddenly, Dawn wrapped her arms around Christian. "Oh father, I knew you could do it!" She cried. "I knew you could fight my aunt's magic!"

Hearing this, Christian's eyes widened in horror. "Wait a second. . . where's Agni?!" He shouted out.

Just then, the two heard Agni's laughter coming from the town square. Whirling around, they saw, in the town square, Elsa on the ground, clutching her heart.

And standing before her was Agni.

* * *

"Did you really think you could defeat me?" Agni asked as she approached the weakened Elsa. "This battle was was over before it began. Your hardened heart would have killed you, even if you had won."

Elsa looked up at Agni, her eyes burning with anger. Agni could see that Elsa's eyes weren't blue anymore, but red, no doubt an effect of the curse.

"Oh, don't worry, my fair queen," Agni reassured the fallen queen. She pointed her finger at Elsa, and the tip of it glowed with fire. "I'll put you out of your misery."

"No!" A voice shouted from the side. Agni turned around as Thaw rushed in between the two queens, shielding Elsa. "If you want to hurt her, you're going to have to come through me!" The princess said, puffing out her chest.

"And me!" Anna joined in, rushing to her daughter's side.

"I'm here, too," Kristoff chimed in, joining his wife and daughter as they faced off against Agni.

"Why can't we just hug and make up?" Olaf questioned from the sidelines. Sven shrugged his shoulders.

Agni scoffed. "You cannot be serious," She said. When she saw their determined expressions, she whispered, "Oh."

Behind them, Elsa slowly got to her feet. Her chest was burning, and she could feel her body begin to turn to stone. Despite this, she couldn't allow Agni to hurt her family.

Agni's eyes burned as she glared at Anna, Kristoff and Thaw. "Family is so pathetic!" She sneered. "Giving up your lives to save someone who is already dead? I'll never understand such a ridiculous notion!"

When she go no response, Agni continued with, "If you're so desperate to die, I'll grant your wish!" She pointed her finger at them, and the tip of it glowed bright. Despite this, the family stood tall in the face of death.

Behind them, Elsa rushed forward, clutching her burning chest. She saw the tip of Agni's finger glow with an orange fire, and she knew she had to stop it.

Agni gritted her teeth, and shot the fireball at the three. The family stared at the blast of fire as it soared towards them, and they hugged each other, bracing themselves for impact.

Suddenly, Elsa burst through the three, crying out, "No!" She shielded her family as the fireball soared right in her direction.

That was the last thing Elsa did before her body turned to stone.

* * *

 _Read and review._


	41. Battle on the Fjord

_Strange and proud of it: Let's find out._

 _TTluv19: Aw, thanks. Here, have a warm hug._

 _The 379th Hero: I sense sarcasm._

 _Miaka: Yeah, well what mother wouldn't? Well, except Queen Reine..._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: She did recover in the same chapter._

 _Moohamquest: It was supposed to be._

 _HollieC1974: Yes I can, and I did._

* * *

Anna, Kristoff and Thaw saw the exact moment Elsa's body turned to stone right before their very eyes.

Her once pale skin turned a rocky gray, her insides glowing a bright orange. Her body froze in place, her arms outstretched as if to shield her family from Agni's attack. Within moments, she did not look like a living, breathing person, but rather a stone statue.

The moment she fully transformed, she was struck, full-force, by Agni's fire blast.

The force of the blast knocked everyone nearby off their feet. Thaw let out a scream as she was thrown against the wall of a nearby house, the back of her head cracking against the rocky surface. She bounced off the wall and landed, face-first, on the hard ground. Next to her, Anna and Kristoff held onto each other to brace for impact as they, too, were tossed back.

Thaw immediately got to her feet and was struck in the face by a cloud of black dust, a side-effect of the fire blast. She shut her eyes tight to keep from the dust getting in her eyes. As she did, a horrifying thought entered her mind.

"Elsa!" The young girl cried, stumbling through the cloud of smoke to try and find her aunt. Her head in the smoke, she felt intoxicated as she breathed in the dark fumes, making her dizzy and lightheaded. She coughed violently and waved the dark cloud out of her face. She fought through her disorientation though, her mind set on finding her aunt.

Eventually, the smoke cleared, leaving a dirty Thaw, her face covered in soot. Opening her eyes, Thaw saw the statue of her aunt, standing in the middle of the town square. Surprisingly, the statue had not been damaged at all by the fire blast.

"Auntie Elsa!" Thaw cried out in horror once she saw her aunt. Racing to her aunt, she grabbed hold of her, looking up at her to check for any sign of life in her eyes.

"Elsa!" She shouted, her eyes filled with terror as she felt her aunt's face. Elsa made no movement whatsoever, no sign of life. Around her, some of the nobles, fighting past their fear of setting foot on the battleground, slowly walked up to the frozen queen and her niece.

Anna, half-carrying a wounded Kristoff, approached the two cautiously. "S-Sister?" She whispered, her voice cracking as she saw Elsa, frozen in rock.

"Elsa?" Olaf whispered, his normally happy face replaced with one of sheer horror. Next to him, Sven watched on, a look of sadness in his eyes. His son Ander nestled next to him to comfort him.

Thaw hugged her aunt, tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh Auntie Elsa, I'm so sorry. . ." The young princess whispered, her head nestled against Elsa's chest. "I wish you were still alive to hear this." She hugged her aunt tighter, letting tears stream down her cheeks. The onlookers said nothing, lost in the tragedy of the situation.

Then, Thaw heard chuckling coming from behind her. Grim chuckling. The young princess felt her stomach tighten as she recognized the laugh.

"I must say," Agni said, her arms folded in front of her. "Your family truly is courageous. All the times you have sacrificed yourselves for the ones you love. . . it brings tears to my eyes." The evil queen then broke into a fit of laughter.

Thaw whirled on Agni, her eyes ablaze. _"You!"_ She shouted in an inhuman voice. Grabbing a fallen guard's sword off the ground, the princess approached the queen, hatred in her eyes.

"You'll pay for this, you monster!" The princess snarled at the queen.

Agni stared at Thaw, amused at the princess' empty threat. She stood where she was, unafraid of the sword-wielding girl.

As Thaw approached, she noticed Agni's eyes shift from her. The princess stopped as Agni's smug expression changed to that of confusion. She was looking over Thaw's shoulder, at something the princess couldn't see.

Curious, Thaw slowly turned around to see what Agni was looking at. The onlookers did the same.

"It can't be. . ." Agni whispered in utter disbelief.

There, standing in the midst of the town square, was Agni's adoptive family. At the front of Christian, fully restored to normal, not a trace of Agni's magic left in him. He held his children in his arms as she stared at his adopted sister.

"Christian?" Agni whispered in shock. "But. . . how? I put you under my control. I hardened your heart!"

"My love for my family is stronger than your magic," Christian called out to Agni. "That melted my hardened heart, Agni!"

As he spoke those words, Anna, who was standing nearby, gasped. Her eyes twinkled, and she turned to the statue of Elsa.

"An act of true love can melt a hardened heart!" She said, rushing over to the statue of her sister. "Like my sister."

"What?" Thaw and Agni both asked in unison. Nearby, Kristoff and Olaf's faces brightened as realization sunk in.

As everyone watched, Elsa's statue began to change. Her glowing red center began to dim and shrink, and the hardened black surface began to fade away. A collective gasp rippled through the air as everyone watching bore witness to Elsa transform right before their eyes.

"No," Agni said, her eyes widening in horror.

Within seconds, the statue had faded, leaving only Elsa in its place, restored to normal. Her hair was blonde once more, her skin had been returned to its natural color, and her ice dress was blue once more.

Elsa had been revived.

Disoriented, the exhausted queen collapsed on the ground, struggling to collect her breath. As she did, Thaw rushed and hugged her, crying out, "Auntie Elsa! You're okay!"

Elsa froze in shock, surprised that her niece was hugging her. After a moments silence, she readily embraced her niece back.

"Elsa, you're okay!" Anna cried as she joined in the hug. Kristoff and Olaf joined in, too.

After a moment had passed, Thaw broke out of the hug. "I don't understand," She said. "How was the curse lifted?"

"She sacrificed herself for us," Anna explained before Elsa could. "She loves us, and that melted her hardened heart, just like Christian did."

Elsa blinked. "Guess that makes us even, then," She chuckled to Anna, who smiled and nodded.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Elsa noticed an orange glow near her and her family. Springing into action, Elsa summoned a massive ice shield that blocked the fire blast before it could reach them.

All eyes turned to Agni. Her arm was outstretched and aimed at Elsa. Sweat dripped from her forehead, and her mouth hung open, her breathing ragged. She didn't look as confident anymore.

"I almost forgot," Elsa said, her eyes narrowing at the Fire Queen. Standing tall and facing Agni, she said, "Ready for our rematch, my fair queen?"

"I beat you once!" Agni shouted, sounding desperate. "I can beat you again, even if you have your powers back!"

"Oh yeah?" Elsa asked, getting into a fighting stance. "Then let's battle!"

With a motion of her arms, Elsa summoned a massive cloud of snow that engulfed the town square, blinding Agni. In the snow cloud, dozens of soldiers made of pure ice were formed from Elsa's magic, solid ice blades in their hands.

Elsa pointed in the direction of Agni and her navy. "Attack!" She shouted, and immediately, the ice soldiers surged forward in the direction of the Fire Queen.

* * *

On the fjord, the navy's captain watched from the deck of the frozen ship as Elsa created her ice army. The men watched on as they advanced upon the lone queen.

"Blast!" The captain said, slamming his fist on the deck. "We have to protect our queen!"

Turning to the rest of the crew, he commanded, "Get your swords out, men! The fjord is frozen; we can run across!" The crew shouted out in invigoration, and they rushed to the side of the ship, diving off the side and landing on the frozen ground. Drawing their swords, Agni's men rushed across the fjord and in the direction of the kingdom.

* * *

Elsa heard the enemy army coming, and she turned in the direction of the fjord to see Agni's forces, racing across the fjord and towards the kingdom. Her eyes widened in shock, and with a motion of her arms, she halted her army of icemen before they reached Agni.

Pointing in the direction of the fjord, Elsa cried, "Go, defend my kingdom! Stop the invaders. I'll handle the Fire Queen!"

The icemen obeyed and turned towards the fjord, rushing out of the town square. "We'll help them!" Kristoff declared, and he, his family, the nobles, and the trolls all followed the icemen as they surged towards the fjord to meet Agni's army.

Once the town square had been cleared, the two queens faced off against one another. "So Agni, do you still believe you're the queen of Arendelle?" Elsa asked.

Agni narrowed her eyes. "I haven't lost yet!" She sneered at Elsa. "We'll find out who the real Queen of Arendelle is!"

"Then let's find out which is stronger!" Elsa challenged. "Ice or fire!"

Racing forward, Elsa summoned an ice spike from the ground that nearly skewered Agni, though the Fire Queen managed to dodge the spike. This was just a distraction however, as Elsa shot an ice blast that caught Agni in the arm, throwing her off balance.

Letting out a pained gasp, Agni stumbled back, holding onto her wounded arm. She looked up at Elsa, her eyes ablaze, and she propelled herself into the air, landing on the roof of a house. Elsa did the same, landing on the house next to Agni, the fires of determination in her eyes.

She knew she could not lose again.

* * *

Agni's army had barely made it to the kingdom when they were halted by Elsa's icemen. Before long, they were joined by the rest of Arendelle's cavalry.

Swords clashed with each other on the frozen fjord as both sides attempted to beat each other back. Agni's men shattered Elsa's icemen into icy shards with their steel claymores, only to be downed by a strike from another soldier.

Thaw rode Ander across the fjord. Delving into her bag, she pulled out Elsa's enchanted snowballs and hurled it at the advancing army. The moment the snowballs made contact with the soldiers' armor, the men were frozen solid.

"Yes!" Thaw said as she froze the nearest soldier. Suddenly, an arm swung out and knocked the princess of her reindeer. Thaw landed on the icy floor with a thud, dazed. Through her cloudy vision, she saw one of Agni's men loom over her, a sword in his hand.

"Oh, no," Thaw whispered in horror.

As the soldier raised his sword above the fallen princess, he was tapped on the soldier. Turning around, the man was grabbed by Kristoff.

"Hey," The Ice Master said menacingly, his glare boring into the soldier's soul.

Thaw winced as the sound of fist meeting face cracked through the air, and the soldier was sent flying over her and crashed onto the ground. A tooth clattered onto the ground next to her.

Standing up, Thaw took the tooth and flung it to the dazed soldier. "Here," She said cheerfully. "Don't forget to stick it under your pillow tonight!"

Kristoff chuckled to himself, and didn't notice one of Agni's guards approach him from behind, a sword in his hands. Before he could strike, the soldier was kicked in the head by Anna, knocking him back. Kristoff spun around just in time to see the soldier land on the ground, unconscious.

"Careful not to lose your head!" Anna said to Kristoff as she threw a sword to him. Spinning around, she clashed swords with another guard. Ducking under the man's sword, Anna kicked the man in the stomach, knocking him onto the ground.

Kristoff turned to Prince Howard, who had just finished incapacitating a different guard, and said, "That's my wife, man!"

"Really proud of you," Howard said, then suddenly shouted, "Duck!" The two dodged under the sword of an attacking soldier.

Nearby, Olaf turned around. "Duck?" He asked. "Where?"

As his head turned, he was struck in the face by the guard's sword. Immediately, the snowman's head soared off his body and flew through the air.

"Hey, I can see our castle from here!" The snowman called out as his head flew away.

"Olaf!" Anna cried out. Her momentary pause allowed Agni's soldier to land a blow to her back, knocking her onto the ground. The sword clattered onto the ground, far from reach.

Anna let out a shout of pain as the guard slammed his foot on her back, knocking her onto the ground. Pinning her, the soldier raised his sword above her, ready to skewer the princess.

"Mum!" Thaw cried out in horror.

Suddenly, two large hands grabbed the guard by the wrist. The soldier yelped as he was spun around and found himself face-to-face with Oaken. The large man hoisted the soldier over his head and hurled him into the air. "Bye-bye!" The large store owner called out cheerfully as the guard was sent flying through the winter air.

Anna got up and saw the soldier be sent flying, and was pulled to her feet by Kristoff.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," Anna reassured, rubbing her sore head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of silver, and she gasped in horror.

"Look out!" She cried, and she and Kristoff dodged out of the way of the navy commander's arrow. The husband and wife landed on the ground at the captain's feet.

The captain held a crossbow in his hand, aimed at the princess and her husband. The two stared up at him, their faces hardened. If they were going to die, they would die with honor.

"Mom! Dad!" Thaw shouted, rushing to shield her parents from the captain's arrow. Even with the child in the crossfires, the captain readied the crossbow to fire.

He never got the chance.

A large hand reached out and grabbed the captain by the wrists, clenching them so hard that the captain was forced to drop the crossbow. The captain let out a pained cry as he was jerked around to face the man who had grabbed him.

His eyes widened in shock. "Flint?!" He sputtered as he faced Agni's former bodyguard. "B-But you're supposed to be fighting for your people! For your Queen!"

"I _am_ fighting for my people!" The former bodyguard declared. "Which is why I'm doing this!"

The former bodyguard's fist shot out and cracked against the captain's face, the force of the blow knocking him back. As he stumbled backwards, Kristoff got up and landed a double-fisted punch to the man's back. Anna landed a kick to his stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

Ander galloped towards the captain and headbutted him, knocking him backwards, right towards Sven, who reigned on his front legs and used his hind legs to kick the captain in the back.

Everyone watched as the captain was sent flying through the air, and slammed against the side of the frozen ship. He slid onto the ground, unconscious.

By now, Agni's men had been totally routed by the combined forces of Arendelle's defenders. The victorious army cheered out in victory.

"We did it!" Thaw shouted, jumping for joy.

However, the celebration was abruptly cut short when the crowd heard a loud blast coming from behind them. The force of the blast was so powerful it made the ground below them shake, causing everyone to stumble and nearly fall.

Thaw stood up, and she whirled around to stare at the kingdom. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw her aunt at the top of the roof in the town. Facing her was Fire Queen Agni, a ball of fire in her hands.

As everyone watched on, the Fire Queen launched the fireball at Elsa.

"Elsa!" Thaw cried out in horror.

Then, before anyone could stop her, the young princess raced off towards the kingdom as the two queens started their battle.

* * *

 _Alright, final battle is coming up. Which, unfortunately, means the story is coming to a close. Hooray._

 _Anyways, keep reading until we reach the end of this story._


	42. Whiteout

_The 379th Hero: I guess._

 _TTluv19: Okay._

 _Miaka: Well, here it is._

 _Strange and proud of it: Us both._

 _TheDisneyFan365: Who didn't know she'd be fine?_

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Yes._

 _Antha1: I did not know about this game._

* * *

A vortex of winter frost swirled around Elsa as she faced off against the evil Fire Queen. The fires of justice burned within Elsa, the fires which would judge the despot as she stood before her.

Agni herself glowed a Hellish orange, her eyes ablaze with fury. Elsa could see in her eyes that she was just as determined to keep the kingdom under her control, and she would stop at nothing to do so.

Even if she had to destroy the kingdom itself.

"It's over, Agni!" Elsa bellowed, the whirlwind of ice and snow expanding outwards, threatening to engulf the entire kingdom. "Your fires of wickedness will no longer threaten my home!"

Agni reeled, feeling the intense winter snow biting into her skin. Fighting through her pain, she glared at Elsa, and retorted with, "We'll see about that!"

Releasing a powerful burst of fire from her body, Agni pushed back Elsa's snowstorm and nearly threw the Snow Queen off the roof she was standing on. She steeled herself to remain standing. Her eyes widened, shocked that Agni still possessed so much power. Even with her army defeated, Agni was still powerful.

Even now, Elsa wondered if she could beat her.

 _Keep it together, Elsa,_ She thought to herself. _Don't let your fears control you again._

Taking a step forward, Elsa unleashed a blast of snow at Agni, who dove over it. Soaring towards Elsa, Agni hurled a fireball at her, and Elsa gasped and dove off the roof. The fireball smashed against the roof of the house. Immediately, the house caught aflame.

Elsa was sent flying from the force of the blast, and just barely caught herself before she collided with the ground. Using a burst of snow, she pushed herself off the ground and soared through the air. Agni followed close behind, throwing balls of fire at her. They all missed, but some came dangerously close to striking the queen.

Elsa landed on the ground and watched as Agni soared towards her. Taking a deep breath, Elsa summoned a snowstorm that caught the Fire Queen in midair. Agni's advancement was halted immediately and she was tossed through the air like a ragdoll.

Elsa grinned, relieved that she had managed to gain the upper hand. Propelling herself into the air, she soared towards Agni as she was thrown about in the sky.

As she neared the Fire Queen, though, Agni unexpectedly steeled herself from the snow. "Your little ice tricks won't work on me!" She declared, and shot a blast of fire in Elsa's direction. Elsa, caught off-guard by the sudden attack, haphazardly summoning an ice shield in midair to block the attack. The fireball collided with the ice shield, shattering it into a million pieces. Elsa was knocked back by the force of the blow and sent spiraling downwards, her screams echoing throughout the kingdom.

Though the Snow Queen tried to break her fall, she was unable to stop herself in time. She slammed onto the ground, her senses utterly knocked out. She lay, dazed, on the ground, her vision clouded. Through her limited sight, she could see Agni hovering down towards her, her finger glowing with fire and aimed at her.

The Snow Queen tried to push herself off the ground, but she was much too stunned from the fall. She could only watch helplessly as Agni prepared to fire the fatal blast at her.

"No!"

Elsa's eyes widened as she recognized Thaw's voice. Using her remaining strength, she turned her around to see Thaw rush into the kingdom. The princess was wielding the captain's crossbow, and she aimed it at Agni and fired.

The Fire Queen was distracted from Elsa and was forced to dodge the slew of arrows as they flew towards her at a rapid face. Several came dangerous close to striking Agni, and she flew behind one of the towers of the castle to avoid the line of fire.

Thaw rushed to Elsa and began urgently pushing her to her feet. "Elsa, get up, get up!" She cried.

Once the queen was on her feet, Elsa pushed Thaw behind her. "Thaw, stay out of this!" She commanded. "Go get to safety! I'll handle Agni!"

Thaw gulped, unsure of what to do. Looking up, she saw Agni fly towards her and Elsa and shoot a fire blast at her. "Go, now!" Elsa commanded, and the princess turned and rushed behind a house.

Elsa turned to Agni. "Leave my niece alone!" She shouted, and summoned a row of massive ice spikes that sprouted from the ground, nearly impaling Agni. The Fire Queen couldn't avoid them and collided with them, the ice spikes shattering into millions of pieces. Agni let out a pained shout as she was sent flying through the air and collided with a house, the force of the blow stunning her.

Elsa watched as Agni landed on the ground, dazed. Behind the house, Thaw emerged and gaze Elsa a thumbs up. The Snow Queen nodded in return, and the young princess rushed off, leaving the two queens to continue their battle.

Agni got off the ground, a bloody bruise on her forehead. Elsa faced her, and asked, "Are you finished, Agni?"

Agni, in spite of the pain, grinned. "Oh no, Elsa," She sneered. "I've scarcely begun!"

With that, Agni's eyes and body glowed red. As Elsa watched, Agni's body was engulfed in flames, which expanded in size. Elsa's eyes widened as she saw the face of the Phoenix bird appear from the body of fire, two glowing yellow eyes glaring down upon her. Two orange wings sprouted from the sides, and within moments, Elsa found herself face-to-face with the Phoenix bird.

The Snow Queen's skin paled even more than it already was as she stared up at the gargantuan being. Agni's cruel laughter ran out of the fire bird's beak, mocking the tiny queen.

In spite of her fear, Elsa made her move against the Phoenix, unleashing a powerful blast of snow at the beast's face. The Phoenix opened its gaping jaw, and a blast of fire incinerated the snow blast, evaporating it into harmless mists.

The Phoenix unleashed another blast of fire, forcing Elsa to retreat in the opposite direction to avoid its flames. Summoning a wind of snow, Elsa carried herself into the air over the Phoenix bird. Flapping its giant wings, the fire bird took flight after the Snow Queen.

Elsa soared through the air, the massive fire bird flying close behind. "What's the matter, Elsa?!" Agni's voice taunted from within the Phoenix bird's gaping jaws. "Scared?"

Elsa gritted her teeth and whirled upon the fire bird, summoning a blast of snow. The snow only temporarily slowed down the beast, and it soon continued forward, sending a blast of fire in Elsa's direction. The Snow Queen let out a scream as the fire blast knocked her back. The force of the blast stunned Elsa, who went soaring towards the ground at terminal velocity.

Suddenly, the fire bird caught Elsa in its jaws. The Snow Queen groaned in agony, the bird's flames searing her skin. Within the beast's jaws, Elsa could see Agni within the beast, controlling its very movements.

The fire bird spat Elsa out, and the Snow Queen was caught in mid air by the bird's talons. The bird held her tight, bringing her up to the beast's eye level.

"Did you really believe you could defeat me?!" Agni's voice rang out from the bird's jaws. "Even without the curse, you'll never hope to defeat someone of my power. This is my home, Elsa, and I've come to reclaim it!"

Even with the bird's fires burning her skin, Elsa froze at the word.

"Home?" She whispered, her eyes widening as realization sunk in.

She didn't get time to think before the fire bird's massive wings struck her and sent her soaring over the castle and towards the frozen fjord.

* * *

The defenders of Arendelle had watched the battle between the two queens from the relative safety of the fjord. Screams of horror erupted from the group when they saw Elsa be thrown towards the fjord by the massive fire bird.

The group rushed out of the way as Elsa's battered body landed on the fjord, sliding across the frozen ground before coming to a stop at the side of the Phoenix's head ship.

"Elsa!" Anna cried out in horror, and rushed to aid her fallen sister. The others watched on in horror, dread creeping in the pits of their stomach. If Elsa had failed to defeat Agni, who could stop the evil queen now?

"Elsa, are you alright?" Anna asked as she tried to pull Elsa to her feet. The Snow Queen grunted as she struggled to stand, her fight with Agni having utterly worn her out.

"Here she comes!" Kristoff shouted, and all heads turned to see the fire bird, flying towards the fjord where the group stood. Hundreds of people all shouted in panic as the fire bird neared, threatening to consume them in flames.

Despite her pain, Elsa stood tall, staring up at the fire bird as it soared overhead. "Agni, come down now!" She commanded, holding her injured arm.

The Phoenix bird lowered itself to the ground. "Do you have any last words, Elsa?" Agni's voice asked from within the bird. "Any last words before I consume you and your "resistance" in flames?"

"I know why you came back!" Elsa shouted up at Agni. "I know why you returned to Arendelle, even after you had claimed Arcturus as your kingdom!"

"Soon, all the North Seas will belong to me!" Agni declared.

"This was never about the North Seas!" Elsa shouted out. "It was always about Arendelle, and I know why!"

The fire bird glared down at Elsa with its two giant glowing yellow eyes. It seemed to grow in size in response to Elsa's challenge.

"The real reason you came back was because you were afraid!" Elsa shouted out. A gasp erupted from those present.

"What?" Agni's voice bellowed from within the fire bird. She seemed genuinely baffled by Elsa's declaration.

"I know your past, Agni!" Elsa said, staring up at the fire bird with icy eyes. "Your family told me everything! I know about how you were shunned by your people! How everyone believed you were a demon, a monster!"

The fire bird's flames kindled at Elsa's words, the beast growing in size. "Stop it!" Agni shouted from within the beast, anger clear within her voice.

"Your own mother hated you!" Elsa continued, her words as hot as Agni's fire. "She didn't want you! She casted you out and abandoned you with no one to turn to! You couldn't handle that betrayal!"

"No!" Agni shouted, the flames of the fire bird growing evermore.

"And even after all these years, you haven't gotten over it!" Elsa told the evil queen. "You believed that everyone would treat you like your kingdom did! That they'd treat you like a monster, like your mother! And you got afraid! So afraid that you believed that by donning the mask of the Phoenix and striking fear into the hearts of everyone who crossed your path, you would never have to be hurt again! But you were wrong!"

"Stop it!" Agni shouted. As her rage and anguish reached Brobdingnagian levels, the gargantuan fire bird began to contort violently. Its avian face morphed into a monstrous form for flashes of moments, and it let out anguished screeches. The crowd of people all let out screams of terror, many beginning to flee the scene. But Elsa stayed.

"That is why you came back!" Elsa continued in spite of the monster before her. "Because Arendelle was the one place where you weren't afraid to be judged! This was the one place where you were treated with love, and kindness, in spite of your powers! So you came back, because this was your true home!" Using the winter winds, Elsa took flight, soaring towards the convulsing fire bird.

"Elsa!" Thaw shouted in horror as she saw her aunt fly towards the gargantuan fire bird.

The fire bird screeched at Elsa as she flew towards it, firing a ball of fire at the Snow Queen. "Keep away from me!" Agni shouted out. Her voice sounded different; she didn't sound powerful or confident anymore.

Elsa smashed through the fireball; as she did, she realized that the fire blast was weaker than usual.

"I see you for what you really are, Agni!" Elsa shouted, ignoring the shearing flames of the fire bird as she neared it. "Not a monster, but a scared, pitiful little girl! You haven't conquered your fears, Agni; you've let them conquer you!"

 _"SHUT UP!"_ Agni shouted, the fire bird growing to such a size that it dwarfed the Phoenix's largest ship. In spite of it all, Elsa continued forward.

Desperate to keep Elsa away, Agni rained fire at the Snow Queen. However, Elsa blocked the fire blast with a shield of ice that held, pushing forward towards the fire bird; most specifically, its gaping jaws.

"You're scared, Agni!" Elsa shouted, zooming in towards the fire bird. "Just a scared child! You're not fit to be queen!"

With that, she flew right into the fire bird's jaws.

"Elsa!" Anna shouted in horror. Kristoff held her and Thaw close as they watched on, fearful for Elsa's safety.

As they watched, the fire bird let out inhumane screeches that nearly deafened everyone nearby. The crowd had to cover their ears as the screeching of the fire bird pounded their eardrums.

Then, before everyone's eyes, the fire bird began to turn an icy blue. It slowly froze over in midair, its screeches coming to a halt. As everyone watched, the gargantuan fire bird was frozen solid.

Then, it exploded, sending a wave of ice showering everyone present. The crowd scattered to avoid the millions of ice shards as they rained down upon the fjord.

Anna, Kristoff and Thaw rushed behind one of the frozen ships. As they peaked out, they could see Elsa and Agni in midair, the two dangerous close to one another.

"Elsa!" Thaw cried out, but Anna covered her mouth.

Elsa held Agni close. The Fire Queen was attempting to use her powers, but all that came out of her hands were small puffs of smoke. Elsa crushed her hands within her grip, preventing her from using her powers.

Elsa reeled her hand back, her fist glowing blue. "Agni!" She shouted out. The Fire Queen recoiled in fear.

Then, with one loud scream, Elsa threw her fist forward, her fist connecting with Agni's chest.

The moment Elsa's fist connected with Agni's chest, a burst of ice erupted from the two queens, engulfing them in snow. The cloud of snow spread across the entire fjord. Those present rushed to flee, but they were consumed by the snowstorm.

Anna, Kristoff and Thaw saw the vortex of snow come their way. Slowly, they held each other tightly as they braced themselves for impact.

Then, the three of them were enveloped by the massive cloud of snow.

* * *

Agni's eyes opened. She looked around and found that she was lying on the frozen ground.

As the girl sat up, she felt a chilly breeze. Looking around, she saw that the entire fjord had been completely engulfed by an icy blizzard. It was huge, utterly obscuring Agni's view of her surroundings. She couldn't see anyone else within the blizzard.

As she struggled to stand up, she felt a shearing pain in her chest. Letting out a pained scream, she clutched her chest.

Her heart felt cold.

Agni's eyes widened in horror. Taking a few strands of her hair in her hand, she looked down upon it, and recoiled when she saw that the strands of her hair had turned a pale white.

"No," She whispered, her breath turning to frost. She stumbled through the blizzard, blind and weakened. "How can this be?"

"You couldn't let go of your fears," A cool voice said from behind her. Agni turned around, and saw Elsa standing in the blizzard, her hair and dress blowing in the wind. The Snow Queen looked totally unaffected by the blizzard; if anything, she looked calm.

"You cursed me," Agni whispered.

"You doomed yourself," Elsa said calmly. "You let your fears of judgement drive your actions, and in the end, you cursed yourself to this fate."

Agni stared at Elsa, her face oddly tranquil, but uneasy still. It appeared that having her heart frozen had somehow managed to placate the queen. She looked down at her hands to see that they were paler than usual.

"This is my home, Agni," Elsa said to the former Fire Queen. "You'll never take that away from me."

Agni looked up at Elsa, her face pale. She didn't look like the confident ruler she had been not too long ago; now, she looked like a confused and scared child.

"What will happen to me now?" She asked, staring back down at her hands.

Elsa paused for a moment before she answered. "You will die," She said. "You locked away all love in your heart. You're too clouded by darkness to see that there's something greater."

Agni closed her eyes for a moment at the news. A small tear streamed down her cheek.

"There's only one way to save you," Elsa whispered, her voice as cool as the wind. "Only one way to undo the curse. Maybe then, you'd remember how precious life truly is."

Agni opened her eyes, her once golden eyes now a slightly dimmer shade. She clenched her fists slowly, before releasing them. Turning away from Elsa, she looked around at the blizzard surrounding them.

"I'm scared."

Elsa stared at Agni. Despite everything, she had nothing but pity for the former Fire Queen.

Elsa only had two words for the former Fire Queen. "Memento Mori," She whispered to her, before turning away from Agni herself. She stared at the empty space, wondering, briefly, what would have happened if she didn't have Anna with her. Would she had given into her fears and become the monster everyone thought she was, just like Agni had?

It appeared it didn't matter, though. All that mattered was that Elsa did have a family, and a home to look forward to.

Without even utilizing her arms, Elsa ceased the snowstorm engulfing the fjord. The blizzard died down within seconds, and the fjord became calm and peaceful once more.

After a few moments, Elsa turned back around, and her eyes widened.

Agni was gone.

* * *

 _Final fight is over. I hope I did well._ _I had a few ideas for how this battle was going to play out, but of all I them, I didn't think that this was the one I'd go for._

 _But, anyways, read and review, and let's finish this story up. Probably only one or two more chapters to go._


	43. Victorious

_Miaka: Indeed._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Well, yeah._

 _The 379th Hero: No._

 _TheDisneyFan365: Great._

 _Antha1: Finally, someone who's comment will provoke a longer response. I knew I couldn't quite ignore her past, so it was probably best that I bring it up here and answer the question of why she's evil. Jury's out on whether it succeeded._

* * *

The citizens of Arendelle had fled into the outer forests during the battle between the Snow Queen and the Fire Queen. They had watched from afar, observing the battle with great fear. They had seen Agni transform into the Phoenix, and they had seen the fjord become engulfed in a terrible blizzard. Finally, they had seen the blizzard cease, and the Fire Queen was nowhere to be seen.

For a moment, the citizens watched on, wondering what had happened. Where had the Fire Queen gone? What had become of Queen Elsa? Had both of them perished on the fjord?

Finally, one man shouted out, "I see her!" The citizens saw their beloved queen standing in the midst of the fjord. She was so far away that she was practically a speck in the vast icy landscape. Around her, the other defenders of Arendelle were scattered abroad the fjord, recovering from the icy blizzard that had temporarily consumed them.

Even though they could barely see her, the townspeople rejoiced. Shouts of "The rightful Queen has returned!" and "Our kingdom has been saved!" filled the air, and the overjoyed townspeople immediately abandoned their hiding places and flocked back to the kingdom to congratulate their rescuers.

* * *

When the blizzard had died down, Anna, Kristoff and Thaw emerged from behind the ship, still clutching each other. They saw so sign of Agni, but they could see Elsa.

The Snow Queen stood in the middle of the fjord, still as a statue. Her cape blew behind her in the calm wind.

The three were relieved to see that she was okay. "Elsa," Anna called out to her as they three walked over to her. Elsa turned to face them, and they saw an unusual look of peace on the queen's face. Her face turned to relief as she saw that the three were fine.

Thaw was the first to reach Elsa. The Queen quickly embraced the princess, hoisting her in the air and holding her tightly. "Oh Thaw, you're alright," She said, nestling her head next to Thaw's.

"Thanks to you, Auntie Elsa," Thaw said lovingly, and planted a kiss on Elsa's cheek. Anna and Kristoff quickly joined the hug. Behind them, Sven and Ander galloped towards the four and nestled next to them.

Suddenly, Anna's eyes widened, and she asked, "Where's Olaf?"

As if on cue, a familiar voice called out, "Hey guys? A little help here?"

The family turned in the direction of the voice, and they saw Olaf, trapped in a giant snowball that was rolling across the fjord. "Oh, I got you!" Elsa called out, and with a flick of her wrist, she caused the snowball to vanish, freeing Olaf.

"Whoa there," Olaf said, his head rolling to the side. "For a second there I thought I was in that snow cloud in the sky. Then I realized it was just you and your blizzard."

Anna playfully decked Elsa in the shoulder. "That marks the second time you've nearly killed us all with one of those," She pointed out. Elsa laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry," She muttered.

By now, the other defenders of Arendelle had emerged from their hiding spots. Once they saw that the danger had passed, they all began to gather around the family to congratulate them.

"Hoo-hoo, big winter blizzard, yea?" Oaken chirped. Thaw giggled.

"I must say, I have never had such an exciting battle since the War of the Eastern Isles," King Andreas noted, nodding. "Thank you, Queen Elsa, for letting us all bare witness to such a terrific experience!"

"All hail Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" Prince Howard shouted. Immediately, the crowd all began to cheer in Elsa's name.

Elsa quieted them down. "Save the celebrations for later," She told everyone else. "Those will come, eventually. But now, we have a kingdom to return to."

* * *

When the victors arrived in the kingdom, they were immediately greeted by the townsfolk. Despite the kingdom being in a state of damage as a result of the battle that had taken place, the citizens were just overjoyed that Queen Agni had been overthrown.

Shouts of "All hail the Queen!" filled the air as the citizens cheered for the victorious queen. Elsa smiled graciously upon her subjects, glad that they were safe and free from Agni's rule. Eventually, she quieted down the townsfolk.

"Now, now, my royal subjects, I know that all of you have yearned to be free of the Fire Queen Agni's rule," She said to her subjects as they gathered around her. "There is nothing more horrific a kingdom can endure than that of a horrible ruler. Unfortunately, that is what this kingdom had to endure, as would all of the North Seas if it had not been for the bravery of many good men and women today. Because of them, the kingdom is saved."

As Elsa stared at the townsfolk, she caught sight of Flint. Agni's former guard gave her a knowing look, and Elsa winked at him.

"Also, it is in my best interest that we not hold it against the kingdom of Arcturus for their actions against us," She told her subjects. A wave of confusion passed over the crowd until Elsa explained.

"Nothing is more horrific a kingdom can endure than that of a horrible ruler, and that is what Arcturus had to endure for years," Elsa told her subjects. "Their queen poisoned the mind of her subjects to make them join her in her wickedness. Now that she has been overthrown, her subjects can be free of her evil influence."

The townsfolk said nothing; however, Elsa could tell that their minds had been set at ease. She turned to Flint, and gave a slight nod to him. He returned the nod.

Elsa's eyes then turned to the pile of snow laying in the town square that used to be Marshmallow. She let out a gasp, and realized that she had forgotten about him during her confrontation with Agni.

"Don't worry, I got you," She reassured the snow golem. With a wave of her arms, the limp of snow was surrounded by a vortex of snowy winds and were picked up into the air. Everyone watched as the snow whirled in the air and eventually took the form of a giant snow golem.

Within seconds, Marshmallow had been returned to normal.

Instantly, Marshmallow was pounced on by the snowglies, overjoyed to see their leader alive and well. Marshmallow let out a warm chuckle as he embraced the snowglies, much to everyone's shock.

At that point, Christian and his family appeared from the crowd and walked up to Elsa, a concerned look on their faces. "My queen, forgive us for asking this question," Flora said to the Snow Queen. "But what has become of my daughter, Agni?"

Elsa stared at the family for a moment. Multiple answers entered her mind, none of them satisfactory. Eventually, all Elsa could do was take Flora's hand in her own and say, "I think that's up to her."

The family stared at Elsa for a moment, letting her answer register within them. Eventually, they could only nod solemnly. They asked no more questions, even though the expression on their face said that they yearned for more.

Elsa finally turned back to the townspeople. "Now, I know all of you have been hurt under Agni's reign," She said to the crowd. "Many of you have lost friends and loved ones. But it is important not to let this experience change us for the worst. Let us not become monsters due to the actions of another. What is important now is to rebuild, and look to the future for guidance."

She turned to Flint, and smiled at him. "And I say this to your kingdom just as much as my own," She told him.

Flint smiled in return.

It appeared that Arendelle wasn't the only kingdom Elsa had saved that day.

* * *

 _Alright, only one chapter left. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. It means a lot to me._


	44. Epilogue: A Thawed Heart

_Guest: Sigh..._

 _Al Drin Hoshizora: Meh._

 _Resolute Heart Of A Queen: Thank you._

 _A-Plus Cassiopeia: Yeah._

 _I am a burglar: Fine, whatever._

 _The 379th Hero: It was explained by Elsa last chapter. Agni figured that when the other kingdoms found out about her powers, they'd demonize her; thus, she wanted to deal with them first._

 _Miaka: It's supposed to be ambiguous with Agni._

 _Antha1: Are you talking about Hans?_

 _Anywho, final chapter everybody! I just want to say thank you for everyone you reviewed this story. Except Guest, of course..._

* * *

After the battle was over, the victors went to work restoring the damaged kingdom at once.

Elsa did the brunt of the work. With her powers, she undid the rest of Agni's curse, restoring Arendelle to its original state. Even still, the town square was left in a state of disrepair as a result of Agni and Elsa's duel. That was taken care of by the visiting kingdoms, who took it upon themselves to rebuild the town square in place of Arendelle's citizens.

"You really don't have to," Elsa had told the visiting nobles when they first suggested it.

"No, my queen, we must," The Duke of Hesse replied, uncharacteristically polite. "It's the least we can do after you saved us from the Fire Queen's rule. Consider it out apology, also. We were kind of jerks."

"Kind of?" Thaw asked from Elsa's side, in a teasing manner.

This time, King Andreas butted in. "Alright, we were mega jerks," He said, and ruffled Thaw's head. "But don't tell the men I said that."

Thaw smiled to the king and gave him a small wink.

Elsa, meanwhile, walked over to Flint, who was staring off at the now unfrozen fjord, where Elsa and Agni's feud had come to an end. There was an expressionless look in his eyes, lost in his own thoughts.

Elsa rested a hand on Flint's shoulders. "Um, Flint, now that Agni is gone, what will Arcturus do now that it no longer has a ruler?" She asked, concerned.

"Don't worry, Queen Elsa; we'll handle it," Flint replied, turning to her. "Rulers, especially dictators, can be replaced. But it is thanks to you that you've given my kingdom the opportunity to do so." He smiled warmly at her.

Elsa smiled back. "No problem," She told him. "And I look forward to building a better relationship between my kingdom and yours, now that you no longer have Agni as your queen."

Flint nodded to her. "And I look forward to my daughter growing up without Agni's influence," He told her. His face fell, and he added, "Speaking of whom, it's been weeks since I last saw her. I think it's time I go home."

Elsa frowned. "I hope to see you again soon," She whispered to him.

Flint nodded, then vanished into another part of the kingdom. Elsa watched him leave, and a small smile appeared on her lips.

* * *

After the kingdom was repaired, the men and women killed by Agni were buried near the funeral, whereas the visitors were to take their own dead back to their kingdom. Agni's former army were to be sent back to their kingdom, now that their ruler had been dethroned.

When the period of mourning was over, the visitors bid Arendelle farewell and returned to their own kingdoms to tell of how Elsa had defeated the wicked Fire Queen and saved the North Seas. Marshmallow and the snowglies returned to the ice mountains, and the trolls returned to the valley to fix the damage done there by Agni's men.

Thus, with the kingdom saved, the royal family returned to their castle to recuperate their lost time and spend it together.

"So, tell me again what happened up there in the mountains?" Anna asked Elsa and Thaw for what seemed to be the millionth time that day.

Elsa groaned, exhausted, but Thaw was glad to repeat their tale. "After Auntie Elsa was beaten by Agni, and got cursed, the two of us ran off and hid up in the mountains with Marshmallow while Agni took over the kingdom," The young princess said.

"Well, um, 'hid' might not be the most appropriate word..." Elsa pointed out.

"How queenly of you," Kai said in a taunting, but good-spirited tone.

"While we were up there, we did the most bonding we ever did in four years," Thaw said, her face lighting up. "Isn't that right Elsa?"

Elsa nodded. "You got that right," She said, ruffling Thaw's blonde hair. "And I plan for many more moments like that."

Olaf's eyes widened. "You want to be cursed again and have your kingdom taken over by a tyrant?" He asked, shocked.

The family turned to the snowman, staring at him in shock, before they burst out into laughter, Kai included.

"What?" Olaf asked, confused.

They were snapped out of their laughing when they heard a knock at the door. Kai rushed to answer it, opening the door, and he almost jumped when he saw who it was.

Kristoff stood up. "Christian?" He asked, surprised as he saw his fellow wood harvester and his family enter the room. The royal family hadn't seen Christian and his family for days ever since the battle on the fjord. They had assumed they had spent the time mourning the loss of two family members.

"What are you doing here?" Anna asked, just as surprised as the rest of the royal family.

"Just visiting," Christian said as the family entered the room.

Kristoff rushed up and hugged his friend, then asked, "Where were you these past few days?"

"We had some. . . business to take care of back at home," Christian said, his eyes forlorn, an expression he shared with the rest of his family.

Kristoff noticed the expression. "Do you miss them?" He asked. "Diane and Agni?"

"Yeah," Christian replied bitterly. "You have no idea."

Flora walked up, carrying Abner and Dawn in her arms. "We are so sorry we put you through this," She said to the royal family. "If only we had convinced Agni to stay with us all those years ago. Then maybe, none of this would've happened."

"It was her choice," Thaw said, walking up to the family. "Her decision. You shouldn't be too hard on yourselves."

Jonathan walked up next to his wife. "Do you think that if she'd stayed with us, she wouldn't have turned evil?" He asked the royals.

"No," Thaw said bitterly, shaking her head disgust. "Agni was evil. She was a demon! A monster!"

"No."

All heads turned to Elsa, who stood up, a calm expression on her face. "Agni is not a monster," She said, walking up to the families.

"What?" Thaw asked, confused. "But, Auntie Elsa. . . she was evil."

"Yes, Agni was evil," Elsa agreed, resting a hand on Thaw's head. "But she wasn't a monster. Nobody is."

Everyone was confused for a moment, until Elsa explained. "Agni was human, just like any of us," She told the families. "I didn't realize that until I fought her on the fjord. She had a brain, a heart, a mind, like all of us. She was human, like us. And everybody, no matter how evil, is still human in the end. Nothing will change that."

The families were silent for a moment, staring at Elsa, who continued.

"God created everybody and everything, and wished that they be good," She told them. "He created everybody for a purpose. But ultimately, only we can decide what that purpose is."

She gently held Thaw and picked her up. "Well, I decide my purpose is to be an aunt!" She told them, hugging Thaw close and grinning. "And to enjoy every moment of my niece's life!"

Thaw smiled and hugged Elsa back. "And my purpose is to be the greatest niece you could ever have!" She said, holding Elsa close. Soon, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf had joined the hug as well.

The Snow Queen hugged her family, and she took the moment to look out of the window and into the night sky. From that moment on, she knew that she no longer had a reason to be scared anymore.

Finally, she was free.

* * *

"Are you ready?"

Elsa stood in the castle yards, surrounded by her subjects. As her onlookers watched intently, Elsa waved her arms, and within moments, the ice rink that adorned the castle gates were recreated out of thin air, the ground turning to ice. During her rule, Agni had destroyed the ice rink with her curse, but now, Elsa had restored it.

"Hooray!" The citizens of Arendelle shouted, jumping up in the air for joy and avoiding slipping on the ice. Overwhelmed with glee, the citizens quickly began skating across the ice rink, happy that after so many days spent preparing for, and later enduring, the Phoenix's rule, they could finally enjoy life again.

Elsa watched her subjects enjoy her magic, happy that life had taken a turn for the better. "Look out, reindeer coming through!" She recognized Kristoff's voice, and she stepped to the side as the Ice Master and Deliverer skated by with Sven by his side. The two were leading Christian's family across the rink to teach them to skate.

Anna skated towards Elsa, trying desperately to balance on her ice skates. "Elsa, I still don't think I got this," She confessed, and Elsa had to catch her before she fell.

"Don't worry; you'll get the hang of it eventually," Elsa reassured her, hugging her tight. "I should know."

Nearby, Thaw and Ander slid towards Oaken's Cloakens and Sauna. Knocking on the door, she said, "Hey, open up."

Oaken's cheerful face appeared at the door, and he said, "Hoo-hoo, big winter blowout, yeah?"

"Hoo-hoo!" Thaw replied. "You got any ice skates, yeah?"

"I got two pairs in the back of the sauna," Oaken said, as cheerful as ever. "That'll be 100."

The inventor jumped slightly when Thaw jumped up and slammed a 200 dollar bill onto the desk. His jaw dropped as he stared down at Thaw's smirking face.

"So, what did you owe me again?" Thaw asked, folding her arms.

Within moments, the princess was skating across the ice rink with her own pair of ice skates, Ander trailing behind her. Oaken watched her skating, and then decided, "Oh, what the heck!" And with that, he took the remaining pair and skated across the rink as well.

Elsa noticed Thaw, and her eyes brightened as she remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She said, snapping her fingers. Using a gust of winter wind, she spun Thaw around so she was facing her.

"This is something I've been meaning to do just for you," She told the young princess. Turning around, the Queen stepped into the middle of the castle yards. Standing tall, she waved her arms in the air, and summoned a gust of wind in the center of the yard. Everybody stopped skating and turned to see what Elsa was creating.

The wind passed, and everybody let out an awed gasp. There, in the middle of the yard, was a massive ice statue of Elsa, with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven by her side.

And in Elsa's arms, was Princess Thaw of Arendelle.

Thaw let out a gasp as she gazed at the beautiful statue. She noticed an inscription at the bottom of it, and read it.

 _To my darling niece Thaw, who thawed my frozen heart. Always be free._

"Oh, I love it, Auntie Elsa!" Thaw cried, jumping into Elsa's arms and hugging her tight. Around her, the citizens of Arendelle clapped their hands for the two.

Elsa hugged her niece tight. In moments like these, when Thaw was so happy, and she was surrounded by her subjects, she had all but forgotten the hardships she had faced fighting Agni. For simply seeing her niece smile made those hardships worth it. As long as she had her family, nothing would be too powerful for her to take on.

And for Snow Queen Elsa of Arendelle, that was the definition of being free.

* * *

 ** _The End_**

* * *

 _I can't believe it's the end of the story, you guys. Once again, sincere thanks to you all. I'll definitely cherish this as one of my best works._

 _Stay tuned, and always be free._


End file.
